Somatic cell count (SCC) has returned to a more appropriate 130,000 cells/ml from the spike reported in the last weekly report.

For three days, the SCC results had come back at 250,000 plus. The few quarters treated and the few cows culled made all the difference.

Milk yield is still hovering around 19 or 20 litres and protein in the last test was at 3.88%, fat at 4.35% (1.6/1.65kg MS), SCC at 129 and TBC at 5.

Growth rates drop

Growth has dropped back to between 50kg and 60kg a day as dry weather reduces growth rates and the natural seasonal decline continues.

The team decided to feed between 2kg and 3kg of meal to the herd this week to allow cows get at least two grazings in paddocks as they enter lower covers.

Grass quality is very good, with a decent cover of clover in the sward and a nice shade of green in the paddocks that the cows are going into.

Breeding

The vasectomised bulls are still being rotated around. Three are with the herd and four off every second day, with AI continuing.

There are still two or three cows bulling every day. Lameness is being treated on a daily basis as issues occur.

It is mostly white line-type issues brought about usually as a result of a bruising from a small stone while walking.

The damage could have been done weeks in advance of the actual lameness appearing in the cow.

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Greenfield update: spike in somatic cell count

Greenfield update: changing milk liners and increasing growth