The objective of this study was to analyze the temporal variation of somatic cell count (SCC) in milk of dairy cows from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Holstein Livestock Breeders Association of Minas Gerais provided data collected from 128 dairy farms located in the state of Minas Gerais between the years of 2000 and 2016. The database contains the SCC average of a total of 91,851 305-day lactations of Holstein animals. The annual SCC average was calculated as well as the percentage of observations above 400,000 cells/ml (%> 400 – established as the limit by Brazilian regulation). Linear regression analysis was performed adopting a 5% significance level. A quadratic relationship (P < 0.001) was found between annual SCC average and the years, which increased between the years 2000 until the end of 2014, followed by a decrease until the end of period evaluated. A positive linear relationship (P < 0.001) was found for %>400 and the years evaluated. We, therefore, concluded that dairy herds from Minas Gerais presented a reduction trend of annual SCC average, but there was a trend of increasing number of observations above the limit of 400,000 cells/ml.