Latest News From Milk Quality

The number will climb since USDA has still not issued rulings on bulk derogations submitted by a number of large cooperatives.

In June, as many as 10% of Upper Midwest dairy farms were not in compliance. Deadline is today.

In this analysis of Upper Midwes herds, the very smallest farms had an average SCC of 362,000 cells/ml; the very largest, 219,000 cell/ml.

INDIANAPOLIS - A battle over the sale of raw milk is brewing in Indiana. The state Board of Animal Health has seen hundreds of people weigh in on the subject as part of the agency's virtual public hearing about whether Indiana should allow the sale of raw milk.

Consumers urged to dispose of product due to insufficient pasteurization.

Hundreds of cartons of milk were contaminated with detergent on plant’s production line.

Fresh ideas will be presented daily Oct. 2-6 at the international show in Madison, Wis.

Co-op officials don’t expect many, if any, farms to go out of business as a result of non-compliance since they expect USDA will readily grant derogations.

Ten illnesses have been reported.

Small farmers in Maine are closely watching a legal case headed for Hancock County Superior Court in Ellsworth. The state is suing a Blue Hill farmer to stop him from selling unpasteurized milk. The case could test the legality of dozens of small farming operations in the county and the scope of local marketing of organic food.

Investigaciones de Cornell disipan el mito de la auto-curación.

Eight people recently sickened by a strain of E. coli reported consuming raw milk from a farm in Armstrong, but samples taken from the Howard County farm all tested negative for the bacteria.

Treatment of metritis with EXCEDE consists of two doses, administered 72 hours apart at the base of opposite ears.

Variation is key to cell count levels.

Getting below 400,000 SCC is one thing; staying there is quite another.

The critical control point in preventing MRSA spread is cow-to-cow and cow-to-human is hygiene.

The effective date for non-compliance of the three-month rolling average of 400,000 cells/ml is August 1.

Careful adherence to milking prep protocols is critical; employees must understand why they are.

Consumers are urged to dispose of raw dairy products due to bacterial contamination.

SAN JOSE - Sujatha Kattimani, a Redwood City software engineer, drives regularly to the Cupertino Farmers Market to buy raw milk at $7.25 per half-gallon. It's about three times as expensive as regular milk and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, could make her ill. Kattimani drinks two glasses a day anyway. And she's one of a rapidly growing number of raw milk enthusiasts.

The meeting provided the foundation for discussion on the use of antimicrobials for mastitis treatment, dry cow therapies and antimicrobial resistance.

Pete Kennedy supports what he calls a growing "back-to-local food" movement in America, and considers drinking raw milk one of the biggest parts of it, he said on Friday.

Saturday February 4, 2012BRATTLEBORO -- A 2009 law that allowed Vermont farmers to sell more raw milk should be amended to break down any further barriers toward increased sales, a farmer advocacy group says.Rural Vermont recently released a report on how Act 62, the law that enabled the sales of raw milk to consumers, has helped farmers.About 150 farms across the state sell raw milk directly to consumers, according to the report, and in 2011, raw milk sales contributed approximately $1 million in gross revenues to farmers.

FDA intends to take approximately 900 samples from dairies that are known to have shipped cattle with positive tissue residues and take another 900 random samples.

Keep somatic cells counts low. Follow drug label directions to the letter. Obey milk and meat withholding periods as though the survival of your business depends on it.

Individual U.S. dairy farms will now have to ship milk with fewer than 400,000 somatic cells per milliliter to qualify for exports to the European Union.

The site offers updated information and decision-making tools for farmers to manage herd health and milking systems.

Only colostrum from Fresno County raw-milk dairy remains under quarantine.

Research from Cornell University shows an 89 percent cure rate of mild or moderate Escherichia coli mastitis infections when treated with extended intramammary antibiotic therapy.

 

Mastitis Management, Inc., of Burley, Idaho, has just introduced the newest addition to its patented line of Thrifty Dipper Teat Dip Applicators, the Thrifty 150.

The clock starts ticking on the EU somatic cell count limit on July 1.

Minnesota dairy farm linked to E. coli outbreak from raw milk.

Four in Minnesota sickened, including children, from E. coli in raw milk.

California dairy producers star in their own TV commercials promoting dairy productds.

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today vetoed Senate Bill 434 that would have allowed state dairy producers to sell raw milk directly to consumers.

Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture announced April 8 that the permit for Pasture Maid Creamery to sell raw milk for human consumption was suspended April 5 after testing found Campylobacter in its raw milk samples.

From June 2005 through November 2009, Osterkamp Dairy achieved a milk quality bonus for 52 out of 53 months—a 98% success rate. Those results, says owner Mark Osterkamp, don't happen without teamwork. In fact, getting milkers to buy in to the team concept is key to making everything work, he says.

Three years ago, Tillamook Cooperative Creamery switched to using the Foss Bactoscan for determining bacterial counts of milk samples. We also decided to test every load of milk received rather than testing weekly.

Bonus content: National Milk Drug Residue Datebase FDA May Change Antibiotic Screening in Milk The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that the number of antibiotic-positive milk tankers was just 0.026% for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009. That's a decrease of 7% from the previous year.

Dollars and Sense contributors discuss milk quality on their farms.

Many dairy producers and their veterinarians find that using on-label extended therapy, defined as administering intramammary mastitis treatment for up to eight days, offers a better chance for a complete cure.

Bonus content: Rational Approaches to Making Treatment Decisions on the Farm Many dairy producers and their veterinarians find that using on-label extended therapy, defined as administering intramammary mastitis treatment for up to eight days, offers a better chance for a complete cure.

Land O'Lakes Animal Milk Products is pleased to announce the launch of its Calf Care™ line of products designed to maintain calf health through greater focus on supportive care for the calf, especially during periods of health challenges. Products include LAND O LAKES® Bovine lgG Colostrum Replacement, LAND O LAKES® Electrolyte System, LAND O LAKES® Electrolyte Complete, LAND O LAKES® Gammulin®, LAND O LAKES® Calf Insure®, and NT Concentrate.

Research conducted over the past 30 years suggests that stimulation of at least 20 seconds, along with a total prep lag time of 60 seconds, reduces milking unit attachment time and increases milk flow rate, when compared to no stimulation at all.

Tail docking of dairy cows was already an uncommon and diminishing practice in California when a state legislator introduced a bill in February 2009 to ban the practice.

Tail docking (removal of the lower portion of the tail including the switch) must not be routinely performed on the dairy herd. If performed due to tail injury, docking should be under the direction of a licensed veterinarian on an individual cow basis.