I've been a little skeptical of my inconsistent pulsator, and last week I sent in milk samples analyzed for butterfat, protein and somatic cell count, partially because of my suspicion and partially just for curiosity. Ellen's somatic cell count came back 4.8
Their shelter bedding is kept dry and clean, and I always use iodine dip on the teats pre and post milking. My other doe's SCC tested very low, and she is nursing twins and not being milked, so I am fairly confident that this is a problem with my milking regimen, not environmental.
I am 99% sure that my pulsator is the culprit. I've stopped using the milking machine, and I'm back to hand milking until I can get a repair kit, rebuild the pulsator and be 100% sure that it works the way it should. I have kept the vacuum pump pressure under -10lb so I know too much vacuum isn't the problem.
I've also started Ellen on an oral drench of cayeene/echinacea/garlic/goldenseal tincture and aloe vera gel twice a day, following milking. I tested her milk with the CMT kit last night, and her left side tested very high (but the milk still looks normal). This morning the CMT reading was noticeably lower. I WILL NOT put that machine back on her until I know it is working EXACTLY as it should.
Do you think that this will be enough to bring her cell count back down, without using any antibiotics? Is there anything else I can do?
As far as sending in another sample for further analysis, I can do that and I do plan to, but I am sending my samples through the farm that I work at (sending my samples in with theirs) and the way things work here unfortunately it will probably be a couple of weeks before I see those test results...
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