---

Mike Seppelt
Pierz, Minn. (Morrison County)
40 cows

What was your 2012 average SCC? 56,000 SCC. I have received a Top Quality Producer Award from Sunrise Ag Cooperative the three years I've milked cows.

What type barn do you have and what kind of bedding do you use? I have a tiestall barn and I bed the cows each day with two bales of oat straw that is chopped up in the bedding chopper. The stalls also have mattresses.

What are some of the preventive measures you take to keep your SCC low? I try to make sure the cows have clean, fresh bedding and keep them comfortable. I put hydrated lime down daily. I sweep the mats down, put hydrated lime on and when I come with the bedding chopper that spreads the lime throughout the stall. I also think it helps that I let them out all day during the summer and they are out for an hour each day in the winter.

If a cow comes down with mastitis, how do you treat her? It's different every time, but they always get rubbed down with Udder Comfort Cream or Udder Cream.

What does your milking procedure consist of? I milk cows with three DeLaval Delatron units. First I wipe the teats clean with a dry paper towel. Then they are dipped with hydrogen peroxide and after a minute they get wiped with two towels. One minute after wiping, the unit is put on. When they are done they are post-dipped with iodine.

Have you ever had times when your SCC got higher then you like? What did you do to bring it back down? Yes, during fieldwork time. I try to pay closer attention to what's going on. It's never an issue unless you are in a hurry.

What type of analysis do you use to monitor milk quality? CMT paddle, they should cost $1,000 because they are worth it.

How often do you check your milking equipment? I have a vacuum test done monthly and the units are inspected daily. I look for any hose leaks or cracks in the liners. The inflations are changed every three months.

What does your milking equipment cleaning process consist of? The units are washed morning and night with FC 509 powder detergent and acid washed weekly.

Where do you raise your heifers and what type of bedding do you use? The heifers are raised on site and get bedded with cornstalks.

Why is it important for you to have a low somatic cell count? It's a lot easier to identify a problem when the herd has a low cell count.

What are the three biggest factors you attribute your low somatic cell count to? Patience is number one, persistence and doing all the little things every time are also very important.

Tell us about your farm. I currently rent a 40-cow barn and rent 196 acres of tillable land on which I plant corn, soybeans and alfalfa.
[[In-content Ad]]

---