What are the
$ benefits in low cell counts?
Herds
with Bulk Milk Cell Counts that average less than 100,000 cells/mL over a whole
year are $70 per cow better
off every year than herds averaging 250,000 cells/mL. Does this surprise you?
Recent
research by Countdown Downunder has modelled the economics of mastitis control
on Australian dairy farms and compared figures for different farm strategies.
These
dollar benefits occur because with better udder health there is more milk
(higher production and less milk discarded) and it is sold at higher prices.
Fewer treatments are required and fewer cows are culled. Of course, to achieve
this requires investing in a range of activities to prevent and cure infections.
But the profits are still there after that investment is included in the
equation. And these are conservative figures, because the cost for extra labour
needed to deal with clinical cases of mastitis has not been included.
This
reaffirms that reducing mastitis significantly contributes to the profitability
of dairy farming even in hard times.
Image and caption:
"Reducing mastitis significantly
contributes to the profitability of dairy farming"
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