Farmer Brown’s Dilemma

Risks of Overcrowding Increased SCC (Somatic Cell Count) This is an indicator of Mastitis Somatic Cells = White Blood Cells = indicate infection What is Mastitis??? The inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue, and is a major endemic disease of dairy cattle. Can be fatal Trtmt and control of Mastitis is one of the largest costs to the dairy industry

SCC Goals Here in the U.S. Farmers are allowed to have counts at 350,000 cells/mL and are rewarded monetarily for amounts below this and penalized for amounts above this range. In the United Kingdom (i.e. England) Farmers are expected to have counts at 150,000 cells/mL

What are the Symptoms? Heat, Swelling, Hardness, Redness and Pain in the udder of the cow Milk is watery and often contains; flakes, clots or pus. Infection decreases milk production Often causes fever Reduced movement due to pain

What is the cost to farmers? If the infection is very heavy the farmer must dump the milk: Costs per Farmer averages $200/cow per year. Milk with high SCC numbers have lower milk fat %’s, lower protein %’s and provides fewer vitamins and nutrients within the milk. The decreased milk fat and protein reduces the money the farmer is paid.

Costs to the Cow Infections are painful for the cow Cows have difficulty moving Cows experience pain while being milked Individual milking the cow needs to break up the “hardened” areas in the udder which is a painful process for the cow and dangerous for the milker as the cow tends to kick

Costs to the Cow Bad infections can lead to permanent damage to the cow Cognitive and physical. Eventually it can lead to death Cows loose their appetite and eventually lo0se weight very quickly, making recovery slower

Exit Slip Knowing what you know about the quality of milk found in overstocked dairy's, are you as an individual willing to compromise the quality of your milk so that you are able to pay less for the product? Explain to me why you feel the way you do.