Somatic Cell Count in Dairy Milk: What It Is and How to Reduce It

What Is Somatic Cell Count?

Somatic cell count (SCC) is the count of somatic cells — primarily white blood cells (leukocytes) — in a milliliter of milk. In a healthy cow quarter, somatic cells are present in low numbers as part of normal mammary tissue maintenance. When bacteria infect the mammary gland and cause mastitis, the immune system responds by flooding the gland with white blood cells to fight the infection. The SCC in the affected quarter rises dramatically.

Bulk tank SCC is the volume-weighted average of individual cow quarter SCCs across all the milk in the tank. It reflects the prevalence and severity of mastitis in the herd.

Why SCC Matters

Quality signal: SCC is used internationally as the primary indicator of milk quality from a hygiene and animal health perspective. EU regulations set a limit of 400,000 cells/mL for raw cow's milk. Many processors paying quality-based premiums set thresholds of 200,000–250,000 cells/mL for premium-tier pricing.

Milk composition effects: High SCC changes milk composition. Milk with elevated SCC contains more proteolytic enzymes that break down milk proteins, has reduced casein content, and shows altered fat composition. These changes reduce cheese yield, reduce shelf life of processed products, and affect flavor.

Processor decisions: Processors collecting milk with consistently high SCC may apply price penalties, reduce collection frequency, or terminate contracts. For farms supplying modern dairy processors in Uzbekistan, Morocco, Azerbaijan, and other AgroLyne target markets, SCC is a commercial variable with direct revenue implications.

Herd-Level SCC Targets

SCC level (cells/mL)	Interpretation
Below 200,000	Excellent — low mastitis prevalence
200,000–400,000	Acceptable but room for improvement
400,000–600,000	Elevated — active mastitis program needed
Above 600,000	High — significant mastitis problem, regulatory risk in many markets

Reducing Bulk Tank SCC with Teat Hygiene

The most direct interventions for SCC reduction are:

• Consistent post-milking teat dipping: Vilnus 5000 Active or Vilnus F50 Active applied immediately after every milking prevents new infections that would raise SCC
• Pre-milking teat preparation: Vilnus LACO or Vilnus LA reduces bacterial load before milking, limiting contagious transmission
• Between-animal cluster disinfection: xxO Flush PA 5 interrupts contagious mastitis spread between animals in the milking sequence

SCC reduction takes time — new infections take weeks to appear as elevated SCC, and existing infections take time to cure or clear. A consistent teat hygiene program shows SCC benefits over 2–4 months of implementation.

Contact AgroLyne for product selection guidance for your SCC reduction program.