Nationally, the average 2024 DHI test-day herd SCC was 181,000 cells per milliliter, unchanged from 2023, according to a summary report from the Council of Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and compared to previous reports from CDCB and the USDA’s Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory.

Which traits make an efficient dairy cow? To answer that question, it is useful to carefully think about what a very efficient dairy cow looks like. One definition of an efficient dairy cow is cow that maximizes milk production while maintaining good health and fertility, thereby optimizing profitability for the producer.  

At the heart of the approach of harvesting high-quality milk is ensuring farmers have a thorough understanding of key milk quality parameters, including milk composition, somatic cell count (SCC), bacterial count and the absence of contaminants.

U.S. milk producers again saw a decrease in average somatic cell counts (SCC) based on an annual summary of Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) test-day results.

All we have to do is balance the ration to maximize fat, right? Regarding the number of variables involved in ration formulation, few diets are ever truly balanced. Consider the word “optimized” instead. Let’s look at several key nutrients that must be optimized for maximum butterfat production.

Interpreting dairy key performance indicators (KPIs) have you feeling like eating an alphabet soup sandwich? While there are hundreds of ways to slice and dice dairy metrics, this article will define and explore several KPIs that have a substantial impact on dairy productivity and profitability.