 The
effect of once-a-day milking on cell counts and mastitis risk
Once-a-day milking is sometimes
used at the end of lactation as a method of reducing production levels to aid
drying off. In areas with very dry conditions, some farms are currently
considering once-a-day milking as a strategy for extending mid-lactation and
reducing overhead costs What are the likely effects on cell counts and mastitis
from on-going once-a-day milking?
Cows which already have
subclinical mastitis infections often show a temporary rise in cell counts when
switched to once-a-day milking, but uninfected cows show little change. This
means that cows with a history of higher cell counts often increase their cell
count especially with decreased production level, but low cell count cows
usually remain low.
Once-a-day milking in
mid-lactation does not appear to increase the risk of new mastitis infections
occurring.
Image: drought3.jpg
Caption: Some drought-stricken
farms are considering once-a-day milking
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