The maintenance of udder health is one of the biggest problems in organic dairy
farming. Therefore, it was the aim to explore the experience of successful farming
experts to evaluate their individual complex solutions for mastitis ans somatic cell
count problems. 7 organic dairy farmers in Baden-Württemberg/Germany were selected,
who achieved an above-average low somatic cell count. Qualitative steeredquestion
interviews and the observation of two milkings were used to investigate their
knowledge and insight and their practical daily actions. The results were clustered in
the following areas: milk analysis, animal health and therapy, animal husbandry and
hygiene in the barn, milking machine, milking management and hygiene, feeding,
raising of calves, breeding, stress/calmness/welfare and animal-human-relationship.
Although all farms had average good somatic cell counts, they could be divideded in
two types, differing in management, biography, experience and modernity of barn and
milking-parlor. The results indicate that there are individual solutions achieving a low
somatic cell count, but it is important that these fit to the farm methods. Furthermore
some commonalities between the farmers were noticed, which can be starting-point
for improvements in farms with poor udder health
