Lely

Keep an eye on udder health!

To keep udder health and milk quality at a high level, the attentions of conductivity, color (and optional cell count) per quarter and milk yield are combined. Use the report Milking – Udder health in T4C to show these items on the screen or use the “X-link” touch screen on the robot. Another possibility of the T4C attention layer is to look into the cow cards of an individual cow. The number of cows in the report Udder health is a sign for the average udder health of the herd. As a rule of thumb the number of cows in the Udder health report should be less than 10% of the total herd.

Alert levels report Udder health

The Udder health report gives information of attention cows with suspected udder health problems. This list combines milk sensor information (milk yield, conductivity, color and optional cell count). Also cows whose milk is separated are listed.  

 Figure 1: Example of the report Udder health

Colors used in the list to indicate alert levels:

• Red:                new attention (previous 5 milkings had no attention),
• Purple:            last milking failed and the previous milking had attention,
• Green:             the milking on the list had attention but the following milking had no attention,
• White/grey:      several attentions in the last couple of milkings.

Conductivity and cell count attentions

Attentions are shown per quarter using the following criteria and indicators:

CDT = Conductivity attention appears if the absolute and average conductivity of the quarter is higher than the quarter with the lowest conductivity (default 20%).

SCC = Somatic Cell Count shows the cell count (x1000) in 5 different categories:

I:    0 – 200

II:    200 – 400

III:   400 – 800

IV:  800 – 2000

V:   > 2000

In fact cell counts vary a great deal with every milking. Indication in classes is much more valuable than the actual figure, since fluctuations are more easily noticed.

A cell count attention is generated when the value of the measurement is:

1. Class V,

2. When the sum of the last three cell count categories is higher than the attention limit,

3. When the sum of the last six cell count categories is higher than the attention limit.

The attention limits are set in the T4C management programme.

Color attentions

Attentions measured by the color sensor are divided into two levels:

• Importance / milk separation status (shown as [X] character between the brackets):

[ ] No letter between brackets: suspected milk, but milk separation might not be necessary,

[S] Separation Advice: serious attention indicating a recommendation for milk separation,

[A] Automatic Separation: serious attention: the robot is set to separate the milk automatically,

[M] Manual Separation: milk separation is in progress and set manually in T4

• Measured color by the sensor (shown as text behind the brackets): 

Blood             red milk indicating blood in milk,

Mastitis          blue milk indicating mastitis,

Colostrum       yellow/blue milk indicating colostrum,

Abnormal        water-like milk: not white milk and not one of the above categories.

The attention for color is fixed. This is based on a complex comparison that is programmed into the MQC. Color is looked at during every milking and an attention is generated when the color of the cow’s milk is different from the herd’s milk.

Interpretation of the results

• Conductivity higher than 100 (70 is normal) and color attention [S] indicate a possible clinical mastitis,
• Conductivity between 90 and 100 in combination with a high cell count indicate a possible sub-clinical mastitis,
• Escherichia coli and Klebsiella are usually detected in the abnormal color area and conductivity at a normal level.

Tips and tricks

Guidelines for prevention and control:

• Check the report Udder health twice a day,
• Control cows on the list visually in the barn (rumen fill, udder, manure),
• Treat infected cows with appropriate medicines in a suitable place,
• Make a treatment plan in cooperation with your veterinary surgeon to effectively treat your cows,
• Perform bacteriological research on a regular basis to be informed about the bacteria active on your farm,
• Check daily the performance of the robot,
• Regularly check the volume of chemicals for cleaning and disinfection,
• Every cow should have free access to feed, water and a clean and dry cubicle to lie down.