A2O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 18,1985
Penn State’s somatic cell test helps combat mastitis
UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn
sylvania dairy farmers have a
better way of recognizing mastitis
in their cows. The somatic-cell
count program operated by
Pennsylvania’s Dairy Herd Im
provement Association is helping
farmers to keep their herds
healthy and produce an additional
$37,000-worth of milk each day.
Mastitis infection not only
reduces a cow’s milk production. It
also causes her to sluff white blood
cells-somatic cells-into her milk.
“The DHIA counts those white
blood cells in milk samples and
then tells dairy farmers which of
their cows may need attention,”
said Stephen Spencer, professor of
dairy science extension for Penn
State’s College of Agriculture.
Half of Pennsylvania’s dairy
farmers with the DHIA. Sixty
percent of that half pay the extra
12 cents per cow for the monthly
somatic count. The average count
in their cows has dropped from
550.000 cells per milliliter in 1979 to
300.000 this past February.
“Without infection, milk will
have 50,000 to 100,000 cells,” said
Spencer. “When the count is
500.000 or more we suggest that
dairy farmers call the vet to take a
culture and pinpoint the problem.
It could be any of three different
types of bactena-staph, strep, or
cohform.”
Pennsylvania’s DHIA was the
first in the nation to offer somatic
cell counts. “Before that, farmers
could get a count from their
dairy,” said Spencer. “But the
dairies test bulk tanks for the
whole herd. That doesn’t tell which
cows are infected.”
Dr. Bob Eberhart’s research
showed us that we could use the
somatic cell count as our
measuring stick,” said Spencer.
Spencer, Eberhart, and Lawrence
Hutchinson, in cooperation with
DHIA, created the somatic cell
program in 1979. Eberhart and
Hutchinson are professors of
veterinary science and veterinary
science extension at Penn State.
The DHIA counts somatic cells
in samples from individual cows
by means of automated
microscopes. The machines mix a
1/1000 milliliter sample of milk
with a dye that causes the somatic
cells to fluoresce, then the
microscope counts the cells. The
end result is a printed record of the
number of somatic cells per
milliliter for each cow sampled.
“About 200 samples go through
the lab in an hour-10,000 a day,”
said Spencer. “When we first
started in 1979 we had only one
machine, and pretty quickly we
had a waiting list for the program.
We didn’t do much promotion
either; the program just sold itself.
Now we have four microscopes and
could take on more work if it came
Spencer and the college’s dairy
extension section have been
helping farmers treat as well as
recognize mastitis. Over the past
several years teaching teams
comprised of two county agents
and one specially trained
veterinarian have conducted 94
milking schools for farmers.
Preventing or curing mastitis is
WHEN THE POWER FAILS
BE SURE YOUR GENERATOR
DOESN'T
yy;
“ i '
We Offer Preventive Maintenance
And Immediate Emergency Service To All
Brands And Sizes of Generator Sets!!
• Cummins • Hospitals
• Detroit * Local for immediate response • Hurting homes
‘ Katoiight Conservative labor rates 'Schools
• Kohler * 2« hour emergency service • Sewer treatment plants
•Manpower • Radio-pager dispatched • Water pumping stations
• Onan • Eipenenced personnel • Telephone companies
• W.nco v • Farms
• Many Others
It Would Be Our Pleasure To Add Your Facility To Our List
ol Satisfied Customers'
m fer Dißk3
INOOVeiAL • COMMERCIAL • AOPICCL • RESIDENTIAL * COMPLETE STANDBY SYSTEMS
SPECIAL / NG IN ENGINE GENE PA TOP SETS
PQ SOUS l A*»C AST E A AVENuE MAATINOALE PENNSYLVANIA I 7S4f
TELEPHONE 71SMS4SSS TELE* 423)72 IP A HOWO Attn M H
largely a matter of cleanliness.
Milking parlors need to be as
aseptic as possible. Udders need to
be cleansed with antiseptics.
Milking machinery also has to be
in good condition.
“You can’t spot infection just by
looking at a cow,” said Spencer.
He likes to stand in front of the
Cedar Crest FFA
Cedar Crest FFA recently
elected the following officers: Lisa
Houser, president; Brenda Peiffer.
vice-president; Jenny Embich,
secretary; GaleHitz, treasurer.
Brian Boyer, reporter; Tonya
Johnson, sentinel; John Whary,
chaplain; Kevin Dreibelbis,
assistant reporter; Becky Smith,
microscopes at the DHIA and
watch the numbers flashing on the
screens. “They’re so low any
more. The counts used to run about
600,000. A lot of these today are
only 150,000. The textbooks used to
say 250,000 was normal. Look at
that! Just 27,000. This herd is in
beautiful shape.”
assistant secretary; and Adam
Hain, assistant treasurer.
The County FFA delegates are
Lisa Houser and Tonya Johnson.
They will represent Cedar Crest in
the Lebanon County FFA. New
officers will be installed at a future
meeting.
EXPERIENCE