Somatic Cell Count (SCC) Mastitis Risk Calculator
Interpret somatic cell count (SCC) results in milk to assess mastitis risk and milk quality. Free online SCC calculator for dairy quality managers.
What is Somatic Cell Count (SCC)?
Somatic cells are white blood cells (leukocytes) naturally present in milk. When a cow’s udder is infected with mastitis, SCC increases dramatically as the immune system responds to the infection.
SCC is expressed as cells per millilitre (cells/mL) and is one of the most important indicators of:
- Udder health of the producing animal
- Milk quality — high SCC reduces shelf life and cheese yield
- Farm hygiene standards
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the SCC value from your laboratory test (in thousands/mL or cells/mL)
- Select whether it’s an individual animal sample or bulk tank sample
- The calculator provides the mastitis risk assessment and recommended action
SCC Interpretation — Bulk Tank Milk
| SCC (cells/mL) | Quality Grade | Mastitis Prevalence | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 200,000 | Excellent | < 10% cows affected | Continue monitoring |
| 200,000 – 400,000 | Good | 10–25% cows affected | Investigate, improve hygiene |
| 400,000 – 750,000 | Fair | 25–40% cows affected | Immediate investigation |
| > 750,000 | Poor | > 40% cows affected | Veterinary intervention required |
FSSAI / IS 1479 Maximum Limit: 750,000 cells/mL for raw milk
SCC Impact on Milk Components
High SCC milk causes measurable quality deterioration:
| SCC (×1000/mL) | Casein Reduction | Fat Reduction | Shelf Life |
|---|---|---|---|
| < 100 | Baseline | Baseline | Normal |
| 200 | −1% | Minimal | Normal |
| 500 | −3.5% | −3% | Reduced |
| 1,000 | −6% | −7% | Significantly reduced |
| 2,000+ | −12%+ | −15%+ | Very poor |
Impact on Cheese and Paneer Yield
High SCC reduces yield due to casein breakdown by proteolytic enzymes:
Paneer yield loss (%) ≈ (SCC in millions / mL − 0.1) × 3.5%
Example: Milk at 800,000 SCC → approximately 2.5% lower paneer yield vs. Grade 1 milk.
Recommended Actions by Grade
Excellent (< 200,000)
- Maintain current protocols
- Monthly monitoring sufficient
Good (200,000 – 400,000)
- Review pre-dipping and post-dipping practices
- Check milking machine vacuum levels
- Increase monitoring frequency to bi-weekly
Fair (400,000 – 750,000)
- Identify high-SCC cows with individual testing (California Mastitis Test)
- Segregate and treat affected animals
- Deep-clean milking equipment
Poor (> 750,000)
- Do not supply for fluid milk consumption
- Veterinary intervention mandatory
- Review entire hygiene protocol — feeding, bedding, milking procedure