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Upper Midwest excels in milk quality

British Dairying

A recent report from the Federal Milk Market Administrator says Upper Midwest dairy farmers continue to produce high quality milk.

Their study of dairy farms in the Upper Midwest found Michigan dairies has the lowest somatic cell counts, followed by Wisconsin. North and South Dakota had the highest levels in the report. The analysis also found larger farms on average had lower somatic cell counts than smaller dairies.

Michigan State University Extension Educator Phil Durst tells Brownfield somatic cell counts are a measure of milk quality. Levels in the Administrator’s study have been declining steadily since 2002.

“It’s a significant decrease which means we’re improving milk quality every year.”

Durst says dairy farmers are committed to quality milk, but there are some practices that also lead to lower somatic cell counts like sand bedding.  “It doesn’t facilitate the growth of bacteria in sand beds, and then we have larger farms who have converted to freestall housing with better ventilation and that’s a critical component in housing healthier cows.”

He says newer, larger farms are designed to increase cow comfort, health and cleanliness.  “They’ll have people that their job is to take care of those beds; they’ll have equipment to take care of those beds; and they have adopted standard operating procedures in the parlor that ensure that even in the parlor we do everything that facilitates good healthy cows and high quality milk.”

Durst, who specializes in mastitis education, says while somatic cell counts are a good indicator of milk quality on farms, it’s not the best indicator of mastitis control. He says cleanliness, milking procedures and nutrition all lead healthier cows.

AUDIO: Interview with Phil Durst (5:54 mp3):

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