Milking freshly calved cows and controlling early lactation mastitis

22 Jun 2023

Ten simple steps for handling freshly calved cows and controlling early lactation mastitis.

Cows are most likely to get mastitis over the two weeks either side of calving. Making sure that freshly calved cows are handled with care will be critical to managing mastitis through the season.

Pre-calving:

STEP 1: Pre-spray springers with an iodine-based teat spray (3400ppm, 12-15% emollient). This ensures udders are equipped to fight off bugs and teats are in good condition in the lead up to calving.

First Milking:

STEP 2: When handling freshly calved cows, wear gloves and use FIL Antigerm disinfectant between each animal to prevent the spread of any pathogens.

STEP 3: Pre-spray freshly calved cows with an iodine-based teat spray to kill any existing pathogens (3400ppm, 12-15% emollient).

STEP 4: Trim tails while waiting for the iodine to work, this will help reduce the risk of E.coli.

STEP 5: Clean each teat using an individual alcohol wipe to remove any dirt and kill pathogens. Focus on the teat barrel and teat end.

STEP 6: Remove 2 to 3 streams of milk from each teat and check for any signs of mastitis such as flakes or dots.

STEP 7: Attach the cups and adjust the cluster alignment to hang squarely under the udder.

STEP 8: Post-spray the teats with an iodine-based teat spray after milking for continued protection against pathogens (3400ppm, 12-15% emollient).

Prior to transitioning to the supply vat:

Step 9: Withhold colostrum cows for 8 milkings (4 days if milking twice a day, 8 days if milking once a day).

Step 10: Rapid Mastitis Test (RMT) all quarters before moving cows to the supply vat. If a cow reacts, test with Farm Medix Check-up to determine the pathogen to treat effectively.

Talk with your local FIL Area Manager around training staff and ensuring you have the right products on hand to have a successful season. Meet Your Rep