High TBC? Here’s how to track down the cause on your dairy farm

For many dairy farmers, TBC can be such a struggle to deal with, as any number of things can be behind the problem, writes independent farm adviser Brian Reidy

A high TBC in milk rarely has just one cause — more often it’s a combination of hygiene, cooling, and equipment issues.

I recently saw a social media post asking about investigating a TBC (total bacterial count) issue on a dairy farm, and felt the frustration of the poster — for many dairy farmers, it can be such a struggle to deal with, as it can be any number of things.

When a dairy farmer is dealing with a high TBC in milk, the goal is to systematically track down where bacteria are entering or multiplying in the system. It’s rarely just one cause — more often it’s a combination of hygiene, cooling, and equipment issues.