The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is reminding farmers to ensure they take necessary precautions when using cubicle lime.
Heavy rainfall, along with lower temperatures and slower grass growth means that cows will be housed.
IFA National Farm Family and Social Affairs Committee vice-chair, Teresa Roche encouraged farmers to use cubicle lime to their advantage while adhering to all health and safety guidelines.
“Keeping cows’ udders clean is of vital importance to reducing the risk of infection, so it is critical to have your cubicles winter ready and disinfected,” she said.
Cubicle lime
The purpose of cubicle lime is to increase the pH on the cubicle bed, inhibiting the growth of bacteria.
The product soaks up the moisture, also preventing the growth of bacteria.
However, Teresa Roche stressed the importance of knowing that any type of cubicle lime can be damaging to your health.
Therefore, she said that it is essential to follow the health and safety guidelines below:
- Wear a pair of safety goggles and a face mask when spreading it to avoid lime getting into your eyes and inhaling it;
- Milking gloves will protect your hands and help avoid the lime coming into contact with your skin;
- Use a scoop or a handheld container to lime the cubicles.
“In order to maintain a clean, dry cubicle bed, high levels of hygiene are essential,” Roche explained.
“It is recommended that passageways, cubicles and yards are scraped at least twice a day and that cubicles are also cleaned down and limed twice daily,” Roche said.