Pasteurized milk ordinance somatic cell count standard
The AVMA supports revision of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance somatic cell count standard regarding Grade "A" raw milk from dairy cattle for pasteurization, ultra-pasteurization or aseptic processing to a level not to exceed 400,000 cells/ml for bulk tank milk. The disparity between the current standard of 750,000 cells/mL and the average annual bulk tank somatic cell count both domestically and globally, along with the long-term declining trend in bulk tank somatic cell counts, renders the standard of 750,000 no longer relevant.