Milking cows are at most risk because their teat canal remains open after milking – giving bacteria a chance to enter and infect the udder.
Post-milking, teat spraying kills bacteria on the teat surface. Some farmers will stand milking cows off for an hour after milking before letting them back into the shed to give time for the teat canals to close.
Cubicle hygiene
Keeping cubicle beds clean and dry is a big help, and not just for milking cows. Dry cows are also at risk, especially in the first few weeks after drying off, as the natural teat seal or plug might not be fully formed.
Clean down cubicle beds twice a day. Many farmers use lime to clean beds, but only hydrated lime is a disinfectant. Ordinary ground limestone cubicle lime will increase the pH to 8.3, but this is not high enough to prevent the growth of most bacteria. Hydrated lime increases the pH to 12.4, which is above the tolerance for streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria. These are the common causes of mastitis.
Hydrated lime is safe to use with iodine-based teat dips, but no more than 170g per cubicle bed should be used. This is equivalent to one fistful of lime per cubicle.
Keep an eye on dried-off cows for signs of mastitis. Look out for swollen or hard quarters and treat accordingly.
Selective therapy can curb problems next spring
Small is good when drying off cows