Publikationsdatenbank

Association of milking practices with DHI somatic cell counts in large Brandenburg dairy herds (2005)

Art

Vortrag

Autoren

Tenhagen, B. A.

Köster, G.

Scheibe, N.

Heuwieser, W.

Kongress

Physiological and technical aspects of machine milking

Nitra, SR, 26. – 28.04.2005

Quelle

ICAR Technical Series No. 10, Physiological and technical aspects of machine milking

Nitra, Slowakische Republik: ICAR, 2005 — S. 161–166

Sprache

Englisch

Kontakt

Tierklinik für Fortpflanzung

Königsweg 65
Haus 27
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62618
fortpflanzungsklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

The association of milking practices with DHI somatic cell counts (DHI-SCC)
was studied on 80 large dairy farms in Brandenburg, Germany, in 2002 and
2003. All farms were visited by the same veterinarian and milking practices
were recorded using a standardized record sheet. To reduce the number of
individual items in the analysis these were reduced to compound variables using
factor analysis. The association of the milking practices with DHI-SCC was
analysed for the current month and the average DHI-SCC of the last year.
Factor analysis for factors associated with milking management and routines
derived three major components that combined two or three factors each. The
first component was use of water in the milking parlor for udder and teat
cleaning and cleaning of the parlor between cows. The second was attention of
the milkers (detection of mastitis, reliability of teat dipping, use of cluster
disinfection) and the third was udder preparation (material used for teat
cleaning, forestripping). The range of values derived from the factor analysis
was categorized into three classes, representing one third of the range each with
low values being good and high values being had.
Good values for use of water in the parlor were associated with lower DHI-SCC
both for the current month and the last year than had values (P=0.019 and 0.003,
respectively). Attentive, keen milkers were associated with lower DHI-SCC than
milkers that were less attentive (P=0.014 and 0.012 for the current month and
the last year, respectively). In contrast, the component including material used
for teat cleaning and method of forestripping was not significantly associated
with SCC.
Results of the study indicate that it is crucial to sensitize milkers for the
importance of proper milking routines and to remind them of their vital role for
the udder health of a dairy herd.