Cluster disinfecting

[farmboy]

What do people use to disinfect clusters between cows and at what concentration? Seem to be getting a few cases of mastitis at the mo and according up a bit want to try and get the brakes on it. Cheers

 

[multi power]

Parectic acid 3%

 

[Beef farmer]

@Headless chicken come on.....that Christmas hamper won't be full if you don't help out a bit.

 

[Headless chicken]

@Headless chicken come on.....that Christmas hamper won't be full if you don't help out a bit.

Too far away from Christmas my sales will be forgotten. Better to let it wait a while and the problem get worse than he will definitely need one

 

[farmboy]

Too far away from Christmas my sales will be forgotten. Better to let it wait a while and the problem get worse than he will definitely need one

Won't be putting one in as hopefully knocking the parlour down next year!!

 

[Headless chicken]

Won't be putting one in as hopefully knocking the parlour down next year!!

I said it all in jest really. We put it in and it's worked well for us but it's not the solution to everything for everyone.
@multi power is right with his peracitic idea just use hand held garden spray bottles and spray it up the unit.

 

[bovine]

Seem to be getting a few cases of mastitis at the mo and according up a bit want to try and get the brakes on it. Cheers

Have you taken any samples? The VAST majority of mastitis these days is environmental in origin. Cluster disinfection will do nothing to alter the spread or new infection rate.

Find out what you are dealing with and put a proper plan in place, depending on where the infection is coming from.

Cluster flushing would be a LONG way down the list of likely useful things to do.

 

[farmboy]

Have you taken any samples? The VAST majority of mastitis these days is environmental in origin. Cluster disinfection will do nothing to alter the spread or new infection rate.

Find out what you are dealing with and put a proper plan in place, depending on where the infection is coming from.

Cluster flushing would be a LONG way down the list of likely useful things to do.

Have sent a few off with the vet will see what they come back as. Admittedly not had much contagious mastitis in the past but was a bit concerned as had three cases in the last 2 days all in the same quarter so didn't think a bit of disinfection would hurt in the meantime

 

[ClusterClean Systems]

Yes get samples and speak to a vet,

BUT

It is essential to disinfect the clusters and gloves during a mastitis outbreak!

Also do a good job of pre and post dipping.

Use 5 % Peracetic acid, diluted as on the label in a bucket for cluster dipping. Change the bucket often during milking.

Why?

http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/m.../mastitis-part-10-environmental-mastitis.aspx

Environmental mastitis is mastitis caused by bacteria which spread primarily outside of the milking parlour.

This doesn't mean that they don't spread during milking. Just like with contagious bacteria, infected cows can contaminate the cluster and spread infection to other cows during milking.

However, unlike contagious bacteria, preventing cow-to-cow spread during milking will not eliminate environmental mastitis. This is because parlour management does not tackle spread from the environment to the cow.

To control environmental mastitis, an added focus on environmental hygiene as well as parlour management is needed.

 

[WillM]

No cluster flush here. It was under consideration. The cost put me off somewhat. Improved parlour routine. Improved cubicle hygiene.

Cluster dunk PA2% after high scc cows in parlour. <0.05% out the tank with mastitis.

 

[multi power]

No cluster flush here. It was under consideration. The cost put me off somewhat. Improved parlour routine. Improved cubicle hygiene.

Cluster dunk PA2% after high scc cows in parlour. <0.05% out the tank with mastitis.

That's fine, except for the high SSC cows you have not discovered yet

 

[jimmer]

Common sense will tell you that the most likely scenario for the teat end to be open and in contact with infection from either another cows milk or bacteria from another cows teat is in the liner
For me cluster flushing has worked , halved scc, halved mastitis cases and halved my stress levels
Cheap and effective , a bit like me i suppose

not tubed a cow for 3 months now

 

[farmboy]

Common sense will tell you that the most likely scenario for the teat end to be open and in contact with infection from either another cows milk or bacteria from another cows teat is in the liner
For me cluster flushing has worked , halved scc, halved mastitis cases and halved my stress levels
Cheap and effective , a bit like me i suppose

not tubed a cow for 3 months now

It will be going on the new parlour just not worth putting on this one now. Been using a handheld sprayer this morning, didn't seem to take any longer just whipped down spraying the clusters as the cows walked out.

 

[Headless chicken]

It will be going on the new parlour just not worth putting on this one now. Been using a handheld sprayer this morning, didn't seem to take any longer just whipped down spraying the clusters as the cows walked out.

It would be transferable I would think but agree a garden sprayer is the simplest option right now.

 

[multi power]

[

not tubed a cow for 3 months now

I don't think I have tubed a cow this year, thanks to your idea of soaking the paper towels

 

[Clay52]

Common sense will tell you that the most likely scenario for the teat end to be open and in contact with infection from either another cows milk or bacteria from another cows teat is in the liner
For me cluster flushing has worked , halved scc, halved mastitis cases and halved my stress levels
Cheap and effective , a bit like me i suppose

not tubed a cow for 3 months now

Well done.

We hadn't tubed a cow for about a month and a half. Then all of a sudden got 10. Discovered that the liners were well overdue to be changed. Changed the liners and now back to none in the space of two weeks.

To me It makes sense that clean well functioning liners are essential to keeping mastitis at bay. Cluster flush is somthing I'd like to put in. Don't some environmental mastitis bacteria have potential to spread cow to cow in the liner with a bad infection. We are all told to wear clean gloves, clean liners seems like it would be even more important.

Let's face it teats are not sterile when the liner goes on them so without cleaning them the next cow potentially has a dirty liner.

 

[jimmer]

I don't think I have tubed a cow this year, thanks to your idea of soaking the paper towels

i hear consultants charge upwards of £60/hour

 

[Turboman]

Tell me more about soaking towels, what do you soak them in and what type of towel?

 

[jimmer]

http://stantonfarmsupplies.co.uk/product/airlaid-towel/

remove the centre, soak in a litre of water with a dash of peracetic acid and a splosh of teat spray

they wont disintegrate like normal paper

 

[jimmer]

the price on the link above is for a whole pallett
it works out slightly more expensive than normal 2 ply paper , but have smaller tear offs , so price difference is closer