Investigate high SCC

You can’t fix a high somatic cell count problem until you find the source. The parlor is a good place to start your investigation. Dale Moore, veterinarian at the University of California-Davis, found these parlor risk factors during an investigation of high SCC:

• Heavy use of cooling in the wash pen and parlor, so that cows enter the parlor still wet.
• No forestripping done, which leads to missed mastitis cases.
• Too few people to help with milking.
• No pre-dipping.
• A lot of defecation in the parlor and reluctance to enter by first-lactation animals.
• Teats still dirty on arrival to the parlor.
• Teat-end lesions.
• Individual paper towels not used.
• Water condensation on equipment and udders.
• Excess water use in the parlor.
• Variation in unit on-time.
• Units remain on for up to two minutes after end of milk flow, indicating automatic-takeoff problems.

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