Survey of Milking Hygiene Practices and Their Relationships to Somatic Cell Counts and Milk Production

Abstract

A total of 581 official test herds on the Quebec Dairy Herd Analysis Service [Canada] were surveyed to measure frequency of practices of milking hygiene and effects of milking hygiene on herd averages of somatic cell counts and milk production. Over 99% of the dairymen washed or sprayed cows'' udders, 55% used a separate towel for washing, 18% dried udders after washing, 35% rinsed teat cups in disinfectant, 50% used a teat dip, 34% recorded mastitis cases, and 63% had a mastitis control program, but only 18% had a program organized by a professional. Herds using a teat dip had counts 70,300 cells/ml lower than those not teat dipping and herds drying udders had counts 44,000 cells/ml lower than those not drying udders. Effects of use of separate towels and rinsing teat cups were small. Herds on a mastitis control program organized by a professional and those on a self-organized program averaged 58,800 and 40,800 cells/ml lower counts than herds without a control program. The difference between herds subscribing to a monthly cell counting service and those not was 30,400 cells/ml in favor of herds receiving monthly reports. Each increase of 100,000 cells/ml in herd average of cell count was associated with a decline of 59 kg average production in the herd.