Why is SomaticScan positioned in a higher price range than a viscometric analyzer?

The price difference between SomaticScan and a viscometric analyzer is not a matter of branding or marketing. It directly reflects a fundamentally different measurement approach and a much higher level of control over the reliability of the result.

The key difference is direct measurement versus indirect estimation.

Viscometric analyzers determine the somatic cell count (SCC) indirectly, by measuring changes in sample viscosity after reaction with a reagent. This is a functional and accessible method, but by its nature it is only indicative and sensitive to external influences.

SomaticScan applies a direct measurement approach. Actual cell nuclei are detected using fluorescence microscopy combined with automated image analysis. This is the same class of technology used in laboratory and reference systems for SCC determination. In analytical science, direct measurement inherently has higher analytical value than indirect estimation – this is a fundamental principle.

Result stability and influence of external factors

With viscometric methods, results may vary due to:

·         small temperature deviations

·         differences in mixing

·         milk composition (fat, protein, total solids)

·         reagent condition and batch variability

SomaticScan significantly minimizes these influences by analyzing a visual signal based on strictly defined criteria. The system applies artifact-filtering algorithms and delivers more consistent and comparable results across different operators, locations, and time periods. This leads to fewer disputes, fewer repeat tests, and significantly fewer “borderline” results without a clear decision.

Customer risk – the true cost of measurement

In practice, the most expensive element is not the instrument itself, but a wrong decision.
Indicative methods carry a higher risk of incorrect acceptance or rejection of milk batches, unnecessary treatments, missed mastitis cases, and discrepancies between results from collection points, laboratories, and dairies.

SomaticScan has been developed specifically to minimize these risks through more objective, stable, and defensible measurements. For this reason, it is preferred in applications where results have financial and regulatory consequences.

Compliance with international standards

SomaticScan is conceptually aligned with the internationally recognized ISO 13366-2 standard for determining somatic cell count in raw milk, which is based on fluoro-opto-electronic counting with nuclear staining. All officially recognized automatic SCC counters operate according to this principle.
Viscometric methods, in contrast, are used as indicative tools and are not reference methods.

Summary

A viscometric analyzer is a suitable tool for fast, indicative SCC screening. The method is not reference-grade.
SomaticScan is a higher-class solution for customers who require direct measurement, higher stability, and protection of decision-making. The method is reference-grade.

In this context, the price difference is not a cost, but an investment in accuracy, confidence, and reduced operational risk.