Somatic Cell Count is determined by what methods?

• A. Visual inspection
• B. Plate counts
• C. Direct microscopic examination
• D. Direct microscopic exam or by specific instruments

Answer: (D)

Somatic cell count reflects udder health by measuring immune cells in milk; when mastitis is present, this number rises. There are two main ways to determine it: directly examining the milk under a microscope (direct microscopic examination) or using specialized instruments designed to count cells in milk (automatic counters). The manual method involves preparing a sample and counting cells in a known volume to estimate cells per milliliter, while instrument-based methods use calibrated devices to count cells quickly and with less variability, which is why they’re common in both labs and on farms. Visual inspection cannot quantify cells, and plate counts measure bacteria rather than somatic cells, so they don’t provide the SCC. Therefore, measuring somatic cell count by direct microscopic exam or by specific instruments best describes how it’s determined.