Archive Article: 2000/12/08
IN BRIEF
HEIFER calves should not be fed high cell count milk unless they are being kept in hutches, isolated from other calves. According to University of Tennessee researcher Steve Oliver, heifers can potentially transfer organisms causing mastitis from high cell count milk by cross-suckling one another. "It is less of a problem when heifers are suckling their mothers, but if I could not isolate calves when feeding high cell count milk, then I would not offer it."
MILK producers are increasingly concerned that the economic penalties of producing high cell count milk are disproportionately high. Vet Peter Orpin said clients were often distressed when a very small shift in cell count had a high milk price penalty. "It would be better if processors looked at a whole farm or medicine package, rather than focusing on somatic cell count. There is a concern that we are pursuing a sterile udder."
CONDUCTIVITY could be a good indicator of milk quality, but more work is required before it can be used practically and to cut down the number of false positives given. According to ADASs Ian Ohnstad, a trial in a robotic milking parlour has shown that software needs to account for background noise – for instance, stage of lactation, oestrus, breed and milking interval – to help give better results. Manufacturers also needed to make the system more sensitive, he added.