SCC in early lactation following selective dry cow therapy

Pallaskenry farm manager Brendan Ryan joins Emma-Louise Coffey on this week’s Dairy Edge podcast to discuss SCC in early lactation following selective dry cow therapy. Brendan explains that 69% of the herd were dried off with a teat sealer only based on cows that had milk records of SCC <200 k during lactation and no high quarter. Herd SCC in February averaged 200-250 k and now sits between 110-130 k. Brendan acknowledges the high SCC in early lactation persisted for longer than other years due to the change in milking facilities from a herringbone milking parlour to a rotary milking parlour as well as a later than normal 1st milk recording. Brendan emphasises the importance of milk recording in mid-February, suggesting that mid-March is too late. Given that 50% of the herd calves in the first two weeks, a February milk recording is necessary to pick up udder infections early and treat accordingly. For more episodes from the Dairy Edge podcast go to the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/dairy/the-dairy-edge-podcast/ The Dairy Edge is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com