David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the average somatic cell count in the Irish national milk supply and the impact it is having on the industry; her plans to improve the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40572/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not compile statistics on the somatic cell count in the national milk supply. The European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2005 (S. I. No. 910 of 2005) provide that milk going for the production of liquid milk or dairy products for human consumption must have a somatic cell level not exceeding 400,000 per ml. based on a geometric average over a period of three months, with at least one sample a month.

In 2005 some 2.6% of milk producers failed to maintain this standard, as compared with 3.29% the previous year. In such cases the milk is not collected until successive tests bring the geometric average within the permissible level. It is accepted that mastitis in the cows is the chief cause of high somatic cell levels in milk.

I am currently examining means of encouraging dairy farmers to combat mastitis in their cows in the context of the Animal Remedies legislation.