SCC post calving

[farmboy]

Does anyone else have a spike in bulk cells when they start calving and are adding a lot of fresh cows/heifers to the tank every day? Had a test back to today was a bit scary

 

[vantage]

Does anyone else have a spike in bulk cells when they start calving and are adding a lot of fresh cows/heifers to the tank every day? Had a test back to today was a bit scary

Or a spike close to drying off? Yes.

 

[lazy farmer]

Yes. Get the cmt out.

 

[Farmer Keith]

2019 yes, was up as high as 350 but testing was a waste of time as by the time you got results back it was a whole different load of cows causing it. Vet advised just to ride it out and it dropped back to 90 over the following month, dairy were very good and I successfully appealed the penalty.

2020 it’s sitting at 130, not seen a case of mastitis yet. 16 days into calving.

 

[farmboy]

Started calving 3 weeks ago, SCC been around 250 this last week normally average around 130. Still have about 70 stale cows left to dry off which may not be helping either. Just wasn’t sure if this was the same for everyone as I’ve changed this herd from AYR to autumn block over the last couple years and expanded so this would be the busiest calving period we’ve ever have had.

 

[Farmer Keith]

Started calving 3 weeks ago, SCC been around 250 this last week normally average around 130. Still have about 70 stale cows left to dry off which may not be helping either. Just wasn’t sure if this was the same for everyone as I’ve changed this herd from AYR to autumn block over the last couple years and expanded so this would be the busiest calving period we’ve ever have had.

It’s most likely to be the fresh cows if the stale cows were low beforehand I’d think. Do you milk record?

 

[som farmer]

one of the few down sides of block calving, end, and beginning of lactation, is a danger point, often get a high individual fresh cow, 1st test, then next 30/40, vets/purists would say, we were doing something wrong, we just bear it ! and, with block, affect multiplied x plenty.

 

[farmboy]

It’s most likely to be the fresh cows if the stale cows were low beforehand I’d think. Do you milk record?

I always think heifers maybe a SCC nightmare when first calve if they’re messing about a bit and not letting milk go properly, not sure if I’m right though!? It had crept up a little when cows stale and drying off as 1 or 2 cows make a big difference in a low volume. Yeah do record, due in a weeks time

 

[Beef farmer]

Cmt every cow before she enters the tank

 

[Princess Pooper]

do

Started calving 3 weeks ago, SCC been around 250 this last week normally average around 130. Still have about 70 stale cows left to dry off which may not be helping either. Just wasn’t sure if this was the same for everyone as I’ve changed this herd from AYR to autumn block over the last couple years and expanded so this would be the busiest calving period we’ve ever have had.

Do you not test at least your stale cows for SCC prior to drying off so you know if it's in that group rather than the fresh cows? Our SCC is high at present but we are mainly milking stale cows and a few high SCC culprits distort the bulk results as sending a very low volume - one cow contributing 24 % of bulk SCC and two others another 16% between them, all 280+ days in milk so I am not overly concerned about the actual bulk SCC. We don't usually get an issue with high SCC in fresh calvers, one of the things we always look at under herd health plan. Recording regularly will help you see if you have cows going high-low or low-high between drying off and calving and if there is an issue with either dry cow or heifer management.

 

[farmboy]

do

Do you not test at least your stale cows for SCC prior to drying off so you know if it's in that group rather than the fresh cows? Our SCC is high at present but we are mainly milking stale cows and a few high SCC culprits distort the bulk results as sending a very low volume - one cow contributing 24 % of bulk SCC and two others another 16% between them, all 280+ days in milk so I am not overly concerned about the actual bulk SCC. We don't usually get an issue with high SCC in fresh calvers, one of the things we always look at under herd health plan. Recording regularly will help you see if you have cows going high-low or low-high between drying off and calving and if there is an issue with either dry cow or heifer management.

Yes I milk record monthly and use it when making decisions regarding drying off cows, use minimal antibiotics. Was wondering if all cows SCC is elevated following stress of calving and coming back in to milk and I’m just getting them back in the tank too quick before they settle down. Calved about 120 in last 3 weeks

 

[Beef farmer]

Yes I milk record monthly and use it when making decisions regarding drying off cows, use minimal antibiotics. Was wondering if all cows SCC is elevated following stress of calving and coming back in to milk and I’m just getting them back in the tank too quick before they settle down. Calved about 120 in last 3 weeks

250 for 3rd wk and 120 in be fine. Be 180 in a week as you slow down calving

 

[farmboy]

250 for 3rd wk and 120 in be fine. Be 180 in a week as you slow down calving

That’s what i was hoping! It was a bit like this last year but calving is tighter this year so more going in at once and less cows in milk and milk in the tank when I started adding the fresh ones

 

[Beef farmer]

That’s what i was hoping! It was a bit like this last year but calving is tighter this year so more going in at once and less cows in milk and milk in the tank when I started adding the fresh ones

We didn't completely dry off this year, and bulk scc was around 100 before and instill expect to get to 250 ish.
When we start completely from scratch 350+ for the 1st week even tho we cmt!

 

[farmboy]

We didn't completely dry off this year, and bulk scc was around 100 before and instill expect to get to 250 ish.
When we start completely from scratch 350+ for the 1st week even tho we cmt!

That makes me feel better. How long do you keep cows out if only teat sealed?

 

[Beef farmer]

That makes me feel better. How long do you keep cows out if only teat sealed?

9 milkings. 4.5 days

 

[pine_guy]

9 milkings. 4.5 days

Why so long of no antibiotic?

 

[Farmer Keith]

Yes I milk record monthly and use it when making decisions regarding drying off cows, use minimal antibiotics. Was wondering if all cows SCC is elevated following stress of calving and coming back in to milk and I’m just getting them back in the tank too quick before they settle down. Calved about 120 in last 3 weeks

You expect all your high SCC low yielders to of been dried off early?

What’s your threshold for using ABs at dry off? Always the possibility that you’re drying cows off seal only that really needed an infection cleared up. Moved back to anything over 100 from any thing over 150 last year here and seems to of been a big help, although last year we must of had 10 cases of summer mastitis (out of 90 calvers) and so far this time there’s been non (over 50% calved).

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Your new best friend

 

[Beef farmer]

Why so long of no antibiotic?

Its 4 days for any fresh cow isnt it?