Linear Score SCC is a better measure of Udder Health than Raw Score.

Both Raw SCC and Linear (Log) SCC are important numbers for dairy’s to monitor. Raw Bulk Tank SCC can have an affect on such things as shelf life and cheese yield, and it impacts the pay price for milk premiums. But the Linear SCC is a better measure of overall herd management for udder health, and that is why this month we will are recognizing producers on the basis of Linear SCC as well as the raw score. 

 

Use a small number of cows to picture how it works.  10 cows giving 100 pounds of milk each with a SCC of 50,000 (LGSCC = 2) will produce 1,000 pounds of milk with a Bulk Tank average of 50,000 SCC and a herd average LGSCC=2. If one of those cows produces 100 pounds of milk with an SCC of 6,400,000 (LGSCC = 9) the Bulk Tank SCC average will be 685,000. Just looking at the Bulk Tank average could give the impression that there are a lot of infected cows in the herd.  However, the Herd Average LGSCC with the one infected cow is just 2.7, which shows that herd infection levels are quite low. Log SCC also carries with it a direct correlation to dollar and milk losses due to SCC.  Studies show that for each rise in Lactation Average Linear score above 2, older cows will lose about 400 lb of milk and heifers about 200 lb.

 

Board of Animal Health approves Milk Johne’s Test   

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has decided to accept the DHIA milk ELISA for the Johne’s Disease negative herd program.  Minnesota DHIA offers the Milk ELISA Johne’s test to all customers (and to non-customers).  The cost of the test is $6 per cow, and information is generally returned to the farm in about a week.  You select the cows or criteria for the test.   Results are available in paper or electronic format and can be sent to your Vet.  If you have on farm software from DHIA, you can customize it to give you the reports or data you prefer. 

 

We encourage all herds considering Johne’s testing to consult with your Vet.  We test for Johne’s using the same DHIA sample collected for butterfat analysis.  The test is conducted on that sample after components and SCC are run.  Over 18,000 cows were tested at the Sauk Centre and Zumbrota labs in 2007. 

 

 

 

            Free Lunch!  District Meeting Locations/Dates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All meetings except Mankato start at 11:45 with lunch.  All districts will elect delegates to the Minnesota DHIA Annual Meeting. Please call Minnesota DHIA with any questions.  The phone numbers of each location are listed in case you need to be contacted while attending. District Meetings are open to all members, but local board members are encouraged to attend.  Please come prepared to share your opinions.

 

All members are welcome to attend the meeting of your choice, but you can only vote or serve as a delegate at your district meeting.

 

Agenda items will include Milk ELISA Johne’s testing, ID systems, Records Processing Services, budgets and financial reports, quarter milking, and open discussion.

 

Those with “software users” will have Scout and Dairy Comp user meetings at the same location.  Software users will be getting an invitation, or you call the office for more information (800.827.3442 ext 19).

 

The Annual Meeting of Minnesota DHIA will be held on Wednesday March 19, 2008 at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul.  The business meeting will be followed by a tour of the dairy facilities guided by U of M specialists.

 

January Quality Leaders Based on Log SCC