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GB milk hygiene
Updated 19 February 2025
Average somatic cell count and bactoscan levels for GB are reported, based on an AHDB survey of dairies, covering approximately 2/3 of milk production.
Interested in joining our survey sample?
Email Martin Doherty at martin.doherty@ahdb.org.uk
Overview
- Bactoscan levels for January averaged 27,000/m litres, 1,000 m litres lower than the previous month, but the same as the same month last year
- Average Bactoscan levels for the 2024 year stood at 27,000/m litres, 1,000/m litres lower than the 2023 average
- Somatic cell count (SCC) levels averaged 142,000/m litres in January, 4,000/m litres lower than the previous month and 5,000/ml lower than the same month last year
- The average cell count stood at 155,000/ml for 2024, 5,000/m litres lower than the 2023 average
Bactoscan ('000 m litres)
| Month | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Jan | 29 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Feb | 28 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | |
| Mar | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | |
| Apr | 28 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | |
| May | 27 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | |
| Jun | 24 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 26 | |
| Jul | 24 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 26 | |
| Aug | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | |
| Sep | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | |
| Oct | 25 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 28 | |
| Nov | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 30 | |
| Dec | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | |
| Average | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 |
Source: AHDB
Somatic cell count ('000 per m litres)
| Month | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Jan | 159 | 156 | 150 | 151 | 147 | 142 |
| Feb | 160 | 156 | 150 | 150 | 146 | |
| Mar | 161 | 157 | 152 | 152 | 149 | |
| Apr | 162 | 158 | 153 | 155 | 152 | |
| May | 161 | 159 | 156 | 157 | 155 | |
| Jun | 161 | 162 | 160 | 162 | 158 | |
| Jul | 166 | 166 | 166 | 168 | 162 | |
| Aug | 174 | 177 | 173 | 173 | 167 | |
| Sep | 176 | 179 | 175 | 175 | 167 | |
| Oct | 171 | 176 | 169 | 168 | 161 | |
| Nov | 162 | 170 | 160 | 159 | 151 | |
| Dec | 157 | 154 | 153 | 151 | 146 | |
| Average | 164 | 164 | 160 | 160 | 155 |
Source: AHDB
Contact us
This dataset was produced by our Data and Analysis team.
If you need any further help, please email Martin, Esther, Dorian or Gavin at datum@ahdb.org.uk
Download dataset
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