Milk quality drives profitability on-farm. The Co-op is renowned for its high-quality milk production, and our farmers continually strive to improve.
“The more time and effort you put into your cows during calving, the better position you set your herd up for the rest of the season, and the more mastitis you can prevent at calving, the better chance you have at lowering your somatic cell counts the rest of the season,” says Farm Source Milk Quality Associate Morgan Kibblewhite. For the best start ensure you are implementing these 10 tips this spring.
1. Always put on your gloves before milking
Mastitis bacteria are easily spread in the shed, and our hands are a key transporter. The use of gloves can reduce bacterial contamination by 75% compared to using bare hands.
2. Trim tails at first milking
During the colostrum period, cow immunity is at its lowest. Trim tails at the first milking to reduce the amount of mud and bacteria at the teat end height, as teat canals are the only entry point for mastitis bugs.
3. Teat spray colostrum cows before cupping
You can teat spray your colostrum cows before cupping to support teat condition and minimise the risk of spreading infected milk between cows. If you don’t have a manual teat spray at the cups, then a portable one could be used.
4. Check and clean udders before first milking
Teat canals are the only entry point for bacteria and cows are most at risk around calving. Clean with wipes and disinfect all teats before the first milking of the season
5. Check cup alignment
Make sure your cups are well-aligned, the cluster should hang directly under the udders. Incorrect alignment can impact milk out and can lead to over- milking or under-milking quarters, even with automatic cup removers.
6. Strip all four quarters
Check for mastitis by stripping all four quarters before milking. Identification of infection is a super important step for reducing mastitis. If you know where the infection is, you can treat it before it spreads. If you’re not sure, always get a second opinion.
7. Teat spray after milking
Teat spray should cover the whole teat up to the barrel and leave a drip on the end. Check a couple of cows at the start of each milking to make sure the coverage is correct. Drips on teat ends act as additional prevention while teat plugs form after milking.
The strength of the product and the emollient addition are also very important. Talk to your chemical representative for recommendations. A good rule of thumb is ‘high strength for high risk’. (Note: calving and weather events are high risk.)
