Peak May and June milk volumes have the capacity to hide individual monster high somatic cell counts (SCC). The last bulk tank SCC result in Kilkenny at 203,000 cells/ml wouldn’t set alarm bells ringing for many farmers, but the fact of the matter is it probably should.

In the last week, we know from detailed individual testing in Kilkenny that we probably have over 20 cows out of the 325 in milk, with at least one-quarter in the millionaire bracket. Yet the bulk tank at 200,000 is very acceptable for many farmers and a long way from the perceived penalty zone over 400,000.

Treatment of these cows with antibiotics can be expensive and unsatisfactory. Research has shown that maybe only 20 to 30% can be cured by antibiotics. It means knowledge in this instance is mostly used as a damage limitation exercise to try and prevent the spread to the rest of the herd. Hence these cows are milked last to try and avoid cross comtaminating clean cows.

Individual treatment depends on indiviual cows. Old, thin cows with multiple bad quarters have left the herd. Young cows with potential and maybe only one bad quarter have been treated with antibiotics.

Grass growth rates have dropped off completely with little or no rain and meal is in at 3kg per head. The milking herd is going into pre-grazing covers of 900kg when they should be going into 1,400kg. By Monday or Tuesday next week, bale silage will have to be introduced unless we get rain.

There are still a good number of cows for AI each day. It varies from seven cows per day down to two or three. Most are repeats but there are some that are only getting served for the first time. The 530 dairy straws have been inseminated so Hereford AI straws are being used at the moment.

The last milk test (Wednesday) shows a result of about 19kg per cow at 3.85% protein and 4.19% fat (1.57kg MS/cow) at 203,000 cell count and 4.81% lactose.

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