Overview
• ‘Inflammation of the udder’ White blood cells increase in the udder (known as Somatic Cell Count or SCC); these cause visible clots
• Importance:
• Welfare: pain, behaviour, public image
• Milk quality: bacteria, somatic cells, constituents
• Cost: treatment, reduced yield, further infection, culling Overview vs. Mastitis categories:
Source: from environment or from cows (environmental or contagious)
Symptoms: visibly affected or no visible change (clinical or subclinical)
Teat anatomy
• Teat sinus
• Sphincter
• Streak canal
Pre-milking routine
• Calm and efficient handling
• Bimodal milk flow
Pre-milking routine
1. Wash teat and udder if severely contaminated
2. Foremilk
3. Clean teat (pre-dip)
4. Dry teats
Post-milking routine
• Apply post-milking dip immediately
• Ensure good coverage of EVERY teat EVERY milking
• Keep cows standing for 30mins
Summary
• Mastitis control in the parlour is vital
• Allow 90 seconds between stimulation and cluster attach
• Teat dip products must meet requirements and rarely do both jobs
