Lowering SCC is Not a Guessing Game

1. P-MP-1 Lowering SCC is Not a Guessing Game Jeffrey K. Reneau Professor of Dairy Management www.extension.umn.edu/dairy

2. 5 W’s & an H of Problem Solving I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who Kipling “The Elephants Child” 1902 • Who ? • What ? • Where ? • When ? • Why ? • How ?

3. What are the right questions? • Who ? • Dry Cows ? • Lactating Cows ? • 1st lactation ? • Older cows ? • Individual Cows ? • What or Why? • Mastitis pathogens? • Bedding management? • Cow prep? How can we improve? • Where or When? • Seasonal? • Stage of lactation? • During dry period? • At calving? • Location / Pen ?

4. Step 1. What is the problem? High BTSCC

5. Probability of a > 400,000 BTSCC during the next 30 daysLukas et al JDS 91: 433-441, 2008 Mean BTSCC of herds never over 400,000 = 171,000 ± 29,000 www.extension.umn.edu/dairy

6. Could solve milk quality problem overnight Win milk quality battle but still losing mastitis war

7. Step 2. Define the problem To define the SCC problem you will need: • DHI and/or on-farm herd records • Monthly individual cow SCC tests • Clinical mastitis records • Farm observations • Bulk tank and individual cow cultures

8. Level Herd Mastitis (SCC) = current number and the duration of infections + rate of new infections Speed of entry → Uninfected Cows New infections Infected cows Cures Chronics ←Time spent infected / Chronics

9. SCC Benchmarks for Minnesota DHIA Herds(Leuer & Reneau 2011) n = 1812 herds & 66,296 monthly DHIA records 2007-2010

10. DHI Record Measures of Udder Health • % New infection rate estimate • Definition = cows that begin lactation with >200,000 or during previous monthly test <200,000 and for current month >200,000 • Herd SCC expectation • 4-7% improving • 8-12% maintaining • >12% increasing • % of herd > 200,000 (< 20%)

11. DHI Record Measures of Udder Health (continued) • % chronic infection for herd <200,000 (<10%) • Definition chronically infected = cows with 2 or more months >200,000 • Average Linear SCC (80% Herd LnSCC <4 & 90% heifers LnSCC 1-3)

12. DHI scc kit

13. Who? When? Where?

14. Effect of Season on Fresh and Current New Infections(Leuer & Reneau 2011)

15. MN dry cow housing in April = wet conditions and higher teat exposure to mastitis pathogens

16. Teat End Condition Jan/Feb • Chapped teat with very rough teat end • Excessive hyperkeratosis with rough and “cracked” teat end Photos courtesy of IBA, Millbury, MA

17. New Infection Rate Estimates

18. Current SCC Evaluation

19. Test Day Bulk Tank – DRMS #421 280 65.9% 100

20. High BTSCC > 250,000 Few Cows contributing If <5 % Many Cows Contributing If >5 % List cows & determine If chronic or spikes New infection Lactating cows If >5% New infection Fresh cows If >12% Chronic infection Lactating cows If >10% Chronic infection Fresh cows If >10% • Action list: • Culture • Segregate • Treat if appropriate • Dry off early • Cull • Action list: • SCC patterns 1st lact & older cows • Spikes, • High-low-high, • Chronics • Culture high cows • Segregate • Cull • Treat if appropriate • Action list: • Analyze 1st lact & older cows • Milking procedures • Hygiene • DIM / Dry? • Purchased cattle? • Pen /barn • Stocking rate • Bedding mgt • Ventilation

21. Herd Detective™ - % non-infected www.drms.org

22. Herd Detective™ – Fat/Protein Ration on Transition Cows

23. Identify what are the bacterial causes • Bulk tank milk cultures • Individual cow cultures • Bedding cultures

25. Take a representative sample from the back half of every other or every third stall, etc. Bedding Cultures

26. Farm Observations • Cow hygiene • Cow comfort and well-being • Milking procedures

27. Step 3.Generate a list of possible causes • Work with your dairy management TEAM • Cause and effect diagram may behelpful in developing a “systems” perspective of what the problems are

28. Cause and Effect Diagrams Milking Procedure Supplies Milkers Damp teats Dirty teat ends No Training offered Papers towels Short prep time High SCC Dirty cows Bedding culture High Env. Streps BT culture High Env. Streps Air slips Stall Comfort & bedding mgt. Milking Equipment

29. Step 4.Develop an Action Plan • Decide on a practical plan and be specific!!! • Who will be responsible for implementing the plan? • Whowill train employees? • When will the plan be implemented?

30. Step 5. Carry out the plan • Once the plan is initiated, stick to the plan! Give it chance to work • Do NOT tinker with the plan unless THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE that the plan is not working

31. Step 6.Set up a plan to monitor progress Use multiple monitors since no singlemonitor is perfect BTSCC & DHI SCC NIR all cows (<7% goal) NIR fresh cows (<10% goal) % chronic (<10% goal) % herd >200,000 (<20% goal) Clinical mastitis rate (<2% per month) Monthly Bulk tank cultures

32. Step 7.Monitor progress and adjust plan as needed • If progress is being made, continue • If progress is not being made, then determine: • is it a failure of the plan? • is it a failure to implement the plan? • Be patient since progress can be slow, especially if the problem is chronic Staph aureus infections

33. Take-Home Messages SCC/mastitis problem solving requires team work and a systematic approach Dairy records serve as an important tool in SCC/mastitis diagnostics Monthly individual cow SCC tests are needed for an effective analysis Routine feedback is essential for SCC progress <250,000 SCC is possible for every dairy

34. In the Quest for Milk Quality Everyone Wins Cows…….. comfort, health, productivity Producers……… profit, personal satisfaction Processors…….. product yield, self life Consumers…….. confidence in food safety and wholesomeness

35. Thank You