Canada will likely lower its somatic cell count (SCC) limit from 500,000 cells/ml to 400,000 cells/ml next spring, says Ken Leslie, a milk quality specialist and veterinarian with the University of Guelph in Ontario.
The move will likely be ratified yet this month, with the effective date coming in March or April. The lowered SCC requirement is expected to affect few producers since Canada’s national SCC average is 220,000 cells/ml.
To avoid penalties, Canadian herds must be below the standard on a rolling, three of four month basis. Canada lowered its SCC limit to 500,000 in 1996. The move to 400,000 is the final step of the Canada Quality Milk program to bring the country into alignment with international standards.
