The top 114 dairy herds in Minnesota for the highest-quality milk are being honored in a list published by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

The annual list of top dairy herds with the lowest somatic cell counts was released last week by MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. Low SCC is a key indicator of milk quality. A low SCC is better for cheese production and means a longer shelf life for bottled milk.

In honor of June Dairy Month, 114 Minnesota dairy farms are being recognized for superior herd management skills by achieving an average SCC of under 100,000 cells per milliliter. The producers on the list are nominated by their dairy plants.

“I’m honored to recognize these 114 dairies for their high level of excellence,” Petersen says. “Minnesota’s dairy farmers help feed the state and the world with high-quality, wholesome dairy products.”

Although somatic cells occur naturally and are not a food safety concern, dairy farmers monitor them because they can be used as a measure of the health of their cows. Processors also pay a premium for milk with low counts. A farmer whose herd has a very low count can receive a higher price per hundredweight compared to a farmer whose herd average SCC is high.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota dairy experts have worked with the state’s dairy farmers to lower somatic cell counts. When the initiative began in 2003, the 100 herds honored that year included those with SCC averages as high as 144,000 cells per milliliter, compared to the current goal of obtaining a SCC under 100,000.

Ranking in the current top 10 for high-quality milk are: Hendel Farms, Houston County; Kent Happke, Benton County; Dennis and Wayne Wolters, Morrison County; Kevin Braulick, Brown County; Selke Farms, Winona County; Ketchum Farms Partnership LLC, Winona County; Brandon and Jill Marshik, Benton County; Keith Middendorf, Todd County; Jeff Middendorf, Stearns County; Hoefs’ Dairy, LeSueur County.

The complete list of Minnesota dairy farms is online at mda.state.mn.us/lowscc.

Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.