Having an effective and efficient milking routine in place on a dairy farm is important for a number of reasons.
It allows for faster milking, producing better quality milk and reducing cases of clinical mastitis.
Milking routine
The first part of an effective milking routine is having a fresh pair of disposable gloves and a clean apron.
Wearing gloves when milking is important as bacteria can be present on hands – even after washing. Not only does wearing gloves put a barrier in place, but it also makes it hard for any new bacteria to remain on the surface on the glove.
As the expression goes, consistency is also key. It is advisable to keep milking routines the same, or as close to the same at all times.
Any changes should be introduced slowly to avoid extra stress being placed on cows. Stress, as every farmer is aware, can have a negative impact of animals. With this in mind, it is also important to remain calm and avoid shouting during milking.
Lastly, a key element of an effective milking routine is hygiene. This applies to the parlour, which should be as clean as possible during milking, and the cows.
Apply a post-milking teat disinfectant and regularly check that the majority of the teat skin of every teat is completely covered.
Mastitis protocol
The identification and treatment of mastitis should also play a key role in any milking routine.
Clinical cases of mastitis are often easily spotted, but it is important that these cases are treated effectively.
An early case of mastitis should have a sample taken to determine the bacteria at fault; once that has been determined, the appropriate antibiotic can be used on the cows.
On most farms, the same bacteria will be the cause of most mastitis cases, so knowing the bacteria at fault makes treating cases much easier.
It is important to develop and use a treatment routine or protocol to treat clinical cases on your farm.
All of these cases should be recorded too, and used to determine whether the cow needs to be culled or not.