A Proposal
Over the past 40 years, since the adoption of the 5 Point Plan for Mastitis Control, there has been a significant reduction in the number of clinical cases of mastitis, in levels of bulk tank somatic cell counts and in the prevalence of mastitis caused by contagious bacteria.
Applying teat disinfectant to the teats immediately after removing the milking unit is an important part of a mastitis control program. The primary purpose of teat disinfection is to reduce the number of bacteria on teats and control the spread of mastitis.
Teat disinfectants can be applied by dipping or spraying. Either method is acceptable if done in a manner that covers the entire area of the teat that had contact with the milking unit.
Teat Spraying
Teat Dipping
The most common failure in the most teat dipping/spraying programs is not adequately covering the teat:
A good way to test for proper teat disinfectant coverage is the “white towel test.” Immediately after the teats have been dipped or sprayed, wrap a clean towel around the base of the teat while blotting the teat dip from the entire teat. open the towel to display the areas of the teat which were covered by teat dip. If the pattern shows incomplete coverage, training should be implemented to show the milkers the proper procedures which will result in the bottom two thirds of the teat completely covered with disinfectant.
It is critical to prevent the teat disinfectant from becoming contaminated:
Regardless of the system used, the reservoir of teat disinfectant should be checked before each shift to make sure there is enough for the entire shift or pen.
Consistent and complete application of a teat disinfectant after every milking is a key to good udder health. When applied properly, teat disinfection will reduce bacteria counts in milk, reduce the number of mastitis cases and improve teat skin condition, which makes cows easier to keep clean and milk out.
Pre-dipping is where you apply a disinfectant solution to the teat BEFORE milking, allow a 20 to 30 second contact time and then wipe dry. The aim is to end up with a clean dry teat to minimise the risk of clinical mastitis due to environmental bacteria such as E. coli, other coliforms and Strep. uberis. These bacteria are the most common cause of clinical mastitis in the UK, Europe and throughout the dairy world.
The environment is a reservoir of infection for the coliforms and Strep. uberis. Bacteria can enter the teats at three times:
Post-milking teat disinfection is where teats are disinfected AFTER milking to kill any bacteria which have been transferred onto the teats during the milking process. Every dairy herd must post-dip to control cell counts.
The idea of pre-dipping started in California where they found that improved teat cleanliness reduced levels of clinical mastitis and also reduced Bactoscan levels. Pre-dipping is now commonly practised on many farms – with great success – and is becoming more and more popular. A UK split herd trial, where half of the cows were predipped, showed a 57% reduction in clinical mastitis and a 70% reduction in Total Bacteria Count.
These results are not surprising. Attaching the milking unit onto a sanitised dry teat will reduce the risk of clinical mastitis. In some herds, dry wiping of teats to remove loose faecal matter is practised, whilst in other cases teats are washed and dried.
Contact time with a pre-dip is important as this allows the solution to soak into any dirt so it becomes much easier to remove. The contact time also allows the chemical to kill bacteria.
Many farmers also comment that teat skin condition improves when you predip and cows milk out far more fully and faster as you get a far better let-down reflex. This must have a positive effect on yield and reduce unit on-time.
Key points about pre-dipping:
Graph showing 57% reduction in predipped trial group and 70% reduction in TBC