Check your SCC records
In some cases, it will be clear that by culling a few old, very high-SCC cows, the problem will be solved.
Ideally, two or three years of records should be available, in order to be certain that a cow is chronic.
However, even with one year’s records, an experienced person can make a fairly accurate judgement.
Some farmers have not got individual cow SCCs,
If they have mastitis and bulk SCC problems, they are in a difficult situation, and the best they can do is cull cows which are consistently getting mastitis and start proper SCC testing next year through milk recording.
Milk recording is the only way to provide proper SCC records.
The most important aid to controlling mastitis/SCC is the information contained in herd milk recording reports.
A lot of farmers don’t make full use of the information on the milk recording reports.
Check the SCC trends for first calvers very closely.
If these are moving up and down, it is a sure sign they are getting infection and there is something wrong with your mastitis control programme.
If they are over 90,000 at the end of the year, you should take urgent action to identify the problem.
It may be something very easy to solve.
