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Milk Component Tests

Submission Guidelines

Submission Form (PDF)

Component Tests

CentralStar’s two milk analytical labs utilize state of the art laboratory techniques to analyze for butterfat, protein, SCC, solids-non-fat, and MUN.  Additionally, samples can be tested for Johne’s, leukosis, BVD, neospora, mastitis, pregnancy and more.

Sample Types

  • Milk – Preserved

SAMPLE HANDLING

  • Keep out of direct sunlight or heat
  • Invert one hour after taking sample to mix preservative
  • Ship within 24-48 hours of collection
  • For the most accurate component analysis results, the sample should be collected from the full volume of milk produced in a single milking.

Results

  • SCC and components available within 24 hours of sample processing
  • MUN available within 24 hours of sample processing
  • Results provided via email or mail

Result interpretation

  • Somatic Cell Count (SCC): Commonly used as a measure of milk quality. Somatic cells are simply animal body cells present at low levels in normal milk. High levels of these cells in milk indicate abnormal, reduced-quality milk that is often caused by intra mammary bacterial infection. The cell count for normal milk is nearly always less than 200,000 cells/ml. Higher counts are considered abnormal and indicate probable infection. The SCC provided by CentralStar must be multiplied by 1,000 to determine the actual count (i.e. a result of 250 is an actual count of 250,000)
  • Butterfat: reported as the percentage of fat in milk. Averages about 3.7% but varies from less than 3 to over 6 percent, depending on breed, stage of lactation, and nutrition.
  • Protein: reported as the percentage of protein in milk. Fluid milk has about 3.5% protein. Amounts vary according to breed, stage of lactation, and certain environmental situations.
  • Lactose: Milk sugar. Lactose content of milk averages about 5%
  • Other Solids: Lactose plus Ash (the residue remaining after complete combustion at -500 to -600 C of a feed or feed product during proximate analysis).
  • Milk Urea Nitrogen (MUN): Normal values are between 12 to 16 mg/dl. High MUN levels can be due to an excess of dietary and/or soluble protein, stress (including disease, exercise, from grazing or extreme cold), or too little degradable protein, or insufficient energy in the diet. As the non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC), crude protein ratio increases, MUN decreases. MUN also decreases as lactation progresses.

Testing Supplies

FAQs

What is milk component testing and why is it important?
Milk component testing measures key indicators of milk quality and herd health, including butterfat, protein, somatic cell count (SCC), solids-non-fat, and milk urea nitrogen (MUN).

Understanding milk composition helps optimize nutrition, improve production efficiency, and identify health issues like mastitis or metabolic stress early.

What types of milk samples are used for component testing?
Milk samples can be fresh, frozen, or preserved. They can be hand-stripped or collected by a DHI Technician. Proper sample handling ensures accuracy:

  • Keep milk samples out of direct sunlight and heat
  • Invert samples one hour after collection to mix preservatives
  • Ship samples within 24–48 hours of collection
  • The sample should be collected from the full volume of milk produced in a single milking.
How quickly are milk component results available?
  • Somatic Cell Count and components: available within 24 hours of sample processing
  • Milk Urea Nitrogen: available within 24 hours

Results are delivered via email or mail, depending on your account preferences.

How should I interpret my milk component test results?
  • Somatic Cell Count (SCC): Indicates milk quality. Values below 200,000 cells/ml are normal; higher counts may suggest mastitis or infection. (Multiply CentralStar SCC result by 1,000 for actual count.)
  • Butterfat: Average is 3.7%, influenced by breed and nutrition.
  • Protein: Typically 3.5%, varying by diet and lactation stage.
  • Lactose: Around 5%, representing milk sugar.
  • MUN (Milk Urea Nitrogen): Normal range is 12–16 mg/dl; outside this range may indicate diet imbalance or stress.
How can milk component testing improve herd performance?
Regular milk component testing helps optimize feeding strategies, detect udder infections early, and monitor overall herd nutrition and productivity. By tracking SCC, MUN, and butterfat-protein ratios, producers can:

  • Identify cows with mastitis or metabolic stress
  • Adjust rations for better efficiency
  • Improve milk quality and premiums
  • Enhance overall herd profitability

CentralStar’s laboratories provide sample analyses on milk, blood, fecal, and tissue samples for a variety of production, disease and health-related traits. More than 6 million samples are processed annually using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques including infrared spectroscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA, PCR, and more.

CentralStar laboratory services are intended solely for the detection of specific microorganisms or viruses in approved sample types. These services do not evaluate, certify, or guarantee the safety of milk for human consumption. It is recommended that interpretation of the results provided, and management decisions based on these results be done under the advisement of a veterinarian.