How CellSense™ works...

Using CellSense™ couldn’t be easier. Just flick a switch at cups on and you can then forget about it. CellSense™ will present you with a result before the cow leaves the shed. You are free to concentrate on milking and on paying attention to your cows.

CellSense™ measures SCC by measuring the DNA released from somatic cells in the milk. The amount of DNA released is directly proportional to the number of somatic cells in the milk. CellSense™ does not measure conductivity or some other part of the milk and then try to correlate that to SCC.

CellSense™ mounts directly onto the milk-line. The long milk hose is then connected to CellSense™ prior to the milk-line inlet. CellSense™ will automatically collect a small sample of milk approximately one minute after activation. CellSense™ then mixes the sample with a specially designed reagent, CellGel™, which breaks apart the somatic cells. This process liberates the DNA in the somatic cells, which tangle together to form a complex gel. The method is based on the fundamental chemistry that underlies the California Mastitis Test, which you have been using and trusting for many years.

Note: Like the old CMT test, CellSense™ uses a spot sample of milk for analysis. CellSense™ measures SCC in milk approximately one minute after cluster attachment. CellSense™ results are similar to (but seldom exactly the same as) SCC of a composite milk sample collected at the end of milking from individual cows.

The results are presented in convenient bands on a visual display whilst the cow is still being milked. The results can be compared to the operation of a traffic light, red to stop, yellow as a warning and green for go.

How CellSense™ will benefi tyou?

Until now, you have had to do a herd test to obtain SCC information about the cows in your herd. It’s time consuming, costly and laborious. CellSense™ provides real time information on individual cows enabling infections to be picked up earlier.

Early lactation

• Detect cows whose SCC exceeds a given threshold, indicating a likelihood of clinical or sub-clinical mastitis in accordance with the New Zealand SAMM Plan.

Main lactation period

• Manage your bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC), especially when it trends upwards and approaches a penalty or premium threshold.
• Profile the SCC trends of an individual cow to enable cost effective treatment and minimise over diagnosis.

Late lactation

• Detect cows that exceed a given threshold indicating a high probability of sub-clinical mastitis.
• Select cows for dry cow therapy to enable stragic use of antibiotics.
• Make decisions on which cows to cull or keep. Graph from Blackwell Trust Southland Number of Mastitis Treatments (includes retreatments)

CellSense™ works – here’s proof

“After installing CellSense™ in my shed my Bulk Somatic Cell Count is now sitting at 150,000 instead of 350,000… It’s so simple to use, and I can now relax knowing that I have the tools in place to manage my herds Cell Count. It’s fantastic! I should have done it years ago!”

– Neil Mirfin, Taupiri