RUMINATIONS
By Kristin Ferguson and Ann Godkin
All in the design
Your teat dip cup’s style could
P
affect your herd’s mastitis risk
roper milking procedures are critical for reducing mastitis spread in your herd. One aspect to consider is your teat dip cup’s design. The type of cup you use could affect your herd’s mastitis control rate. Post-milk teat dipping is a critical part of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis prevention. Research shows postmilking teat dipping with approved products consistently reduces S. aureus incidence and prevalence. Most producers say they use postdipping. However, in 2011 S. aureus was Ontario’s most common mastitis problem. This suggests not all Ontario dairy farms effectively practise teat dipping. Investigating barriers to efficient and effective dipping is important. Last summer, researchers from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs launched a
Post-milk teat dipping is a critical part of Staphylococcus aureus mastitis prevention. It consistently reduces S. aureus incidence and prevalence.
The ideal teat dip cup should:
• contain sufficient dip for reasonable efficiency; • be squeezable, so dip cup sections can fill completely; • have a dip cup diameter and depth that fully covers all teat sizes; • be easy to carry and transport when moving from cow to cow; • easily come apart for effective cleaning; • be easy to slide under the cow and reach the far teats; • not spill easily.
Ruminations is prepared by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs livestock technology specialists to provide information you can use on your farm.
42 | June 2012 | MilkPRODUCER
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - June 2012