SCC Limits in U.S. Higher Than Many Countries

From the NMC Newsletter "Udder Topics", October 1996

Somatic cell counts are the most universally accepted measure of milk quality. Herds which consistently produce milk with bulk milk SCC less than 200,000 cells/ml are common in the major dairy producing countries around the world. Standards for the upper legal threshold of bulk milk SCC are currently 400,000 cells/ml within the European Union and other major dairy export nations such as New Zealand; and 500,000 in parts of Canada. The upper limit in the U.S. is 750,000 cells/ml.

In his presentation at the NMC Regional Meeting this past summer, NMC President Dr. K. Larry Smith, Ohio State University, commented that regulatory levels for bulk milk SCC in most major dairy countries will likely decrease to the 400,000 cells/ml limit adopted by the European Union. Resistance on the part of the U.S. to adopt the lower legal threshold is due in part to the argument that there is no clear threat to human health from milk with SCC exceeding 400,000 cells/ml.

Source: National Mastitis Council 1996 Regional Meeting Proceedings, pg. 62

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