LATEST performance indicators show that the number of healthy cows in a cross section of NMR recorded herds is on the increase.

 

The annual report, published by the University of Reading from 500 recorded herds, also revealed a significant reduction in the proportion of units keeping high numbers of cows with chronic somatic cell counts (SCC).

 

“A chronic herd is one with more than 15% of milk samples originating from chronic cows – that is cows with two or more consecutive SCC recordings above 200,000 cells/ml,” says report co-author James Hanks.

 

“Our latest report, for the year ending August 2016, shows that 18% of the 500-herd sample were chronic herds, compared to 40% in 2010.” See table below.

 

Even more encouraging is the trend in herds keeping 10% or fewer chronic cows which is now 51% – double the number of herds with low chronic cow levels than in 2010.

 

The 2016 report shows that the median, or mid-point, SCC for the surveyed herds is now 185,000 cells/ml, down from 210,000 cells/ml in 2010, with the top 25% of herds now averaging 153,000 cells/ml.

 

New mastitis benchmarks highlight that the median number of cases of mastitis was 36 per 100 cows in 2015/16 which is at least 15 cases more than the top 25% of herds, while improvements in fertility saw more cows served by day 80 and a higher proportion of cows pregnant by 100 days.

 

“These parameters contribute to the drop in calving interval to 407 days, during the past 12 months, with the top 25% of herds now achieving calving intervals of 393 days or less,” says Dr Hanks.