When bacteria enter the udder, the cow responds by sending large numbers of white blood cells to the mammary gland and into the milk. Their role is to surround and destroy bacteria.

In Australia, the concentration of body cells in milk from all four quarters of a cow taken at a Milk Recording (Herd Testing) visit is usually called an Individual Cow Cell Count or ICCC. Sometimes it may be referred to as a cow’s Somatic Cell Count, or SCC (“soma” means “body” in ancient Greek).

Cell counts provide a method of measuring udder infection rates because mastitis is the major cause of any rise in cell counts in milk.

For more information consult the Countdown Downunder Farm Guidelines and your vet.