During this time of year, farmers often place an emphasis on holding their protein and fat percentages. Doing so is proving difficult as a result of poor grass growth rates, so teat spraying and somatic cell count (SCC) should not be overlooked.
Good mastitis control involves a number of key management steps and teat spraying is an essential element to this.
According to Animal Health Ireland (AHI), post-milking teat disinfection can reduce the risk of new mastitis infections by 50% or more.
However, this figure can only be achieved if the process is done thoroughly and throughout the entire lactation.
Teat spraying
Through whole teat disinfection after milking, you will be reducing the bacterial load of bacteria such as staph aureus and strep agalactiae.
Bacteria in milk from an infected cow may be found on the liners and transferred to the teat skin of the next five to six cows that are milked with the same unit.
When the bacteria is on the teat skin, it will multiply rapidly and increase the chances of the quarter getting infected from the bacteria entering the teat canal.
Teat disinfecting will aid in healthy teat skin and will heal teat lesions, which all contribute to combatting and controlling mastitis.
Application
Application is a crucial element in achieving good results with teat spraying, as the benefits of the procedure are lost if the disinfectant does not cover all the teat skin.
Quite often, teat spraying can be done in a rushed manner to get the cows out as soon as possible and to speed up the milking process.
However, while it is good to be quick in the parlour, you need to make sure you are being efficient and accurate while teat spraying, ensuring you are cover the whole teat with disinfectant.
When choosing your disinfectant, unregistered products should be avoided, as they may not provide the desired level of protection required.