The potential use of cell count linear scores in veterinary herd health and production control on dairy farms

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Abstract
Subclinical mastitis is a major problem in udder health control. Reduction of this infection is hard to achieve because Reduction of this subclinical mastitis is not obvious to the farmer. This study examined the value to the farmer of regularly supplying somatic cell counts from individual cows for the control of subclinical mastitis. The use of linear scores, i.e. logarithmic transformations of cell counts, appeared to be appropriate when combined with other relevant information on udder health and included in a herd health computer programme.