Teat disinfectant is used on the vast majority of Irish dairy farms, and is particularly vital during the final months of lactation.
Spring-calving herds are now entering into the final stages of the lactation for 2023 and keeping cell counts under control at this time is important.
Cell counts on farms can start to slip during the closing stages of the lactation, but this should not be allowed to happen.
Keeping cell counts in check is vital in order to ensure that when cows are dried off, infection levels are low, and they calve down with low cell counts in spring 2024.
Cell counts
There are a number of factors that can increase somatic cell counts (SCC), ranging from lactation length to poor milking practices.
During late lactation, the aim should be to keep cell counts in check and ensure that rises do not occur.
The goal should be to have as many cows as possible in a position whereby selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) can be used on them.
Teat disinfectant
The high-risk period for infections to be picked up is during milking, and 30 minutes post-milking, when the sphincter muscle is open.
This is why ensuring that an effective milking routine is used, and that a post-milking teat disinfectant is applied, is important.
Most farms use a post-milking teat disinfectant in the form of a spray or by dipping the teats; both of these methods have positives and negatives.
For a dip, farmers should be using 10ml/cow, while it should be 15ml/cow for a spray.
But what is important is when the teat disinfectant is applied – post-milking while the sphincter muscle is still open.
Applying the disinfectant straight away reduces the amount of time bacteria has to enter the teat opening.
Spraying should be done before cows move off and are directed upwards, and the whole area of the teat should be covered.
Teat dipping can also be used to get a disinfectant onto a cow’s teat post-milking. Dipping offers farmers better teat coverage, but takes more time.
There is also an increased risk of bacteria being spread from cow to cow if the teat-dip cup is not cleaned between milkings.