D2o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 13,1981 Roger W. Mellenberger Associate Professor Department of Animal Science Michigan State University EAST LANSING, Mich. - Mammary gland infections (mastitis) are caused by several types of bacteria. Some pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus nonagalactiae) survive well on teat skin and on milk while other bacteria survive throughout the environment in mud, manure, stagnant water and other unsanitary places. Since mastitis is a function of the numbers of organisms at the teat end, prevention of mastitis is dependent on reducing pathogens within a cow’s environment. Ef fective milking tune hygiene can prevent many cases of mastitis by minimizing transfer of bacteria from cow to cow during milking. To prevent mastitis the milking procedure should be divided into three phases: pre-milking teat sanitation (propping); post milking teat disinfection; teat cup liner sanitizing between cows (manual or automatic back flushing). Pre-milking teat sanitation During prepping the dairy producer is preparing the cow for milk letdown as well as cleaning or sanitizing the teat. It is recom mended, in order to maximize both milk letdown and teat end sanitation, teats should be washed and dried completely. Drying of teats with a single service paper towel improves machine function as well as milk letdown. Sanitation of the teat prior to machine attachment is the first step in decreasing bacterial contamination of milking equip ment. lodine at 200 ppm has been shown to be the most effective premilkmg sanitizer Use of 200 ppm iodine in the water supply during hand washing of teats in Milking time hygiene prevents udder infections parlors or in fresh bucket water for stanchion barns will result in a 90 percent reduction of ‘Staph’ colonies and a 98 percent reduction of Coliform colonies. Use of warm water alone results in 0 percent reduction of ‘Staph’ and a 72 percent reduction of Coliform colonies. Chlorine at 500 ppm is an ef fective teat sanitizer but does not work well for in-line use, that, is, metering into the parlor -water supply for teat washing. Therefore, in a parlor milking system a cow’s udder and teats should be washed for minimum of 10-15 seconds with clean running water containing 200 ppm iodine. The iodine can be accurately metered into the water supply. Water for washing teats should be minimal, that is, enough to wash the teats and base of the udder. Too often, washing the side of the udder will result in collection of suspended dirt and manure at the top of each inflation. Use of excess water increases bacterial contamination of teats, inflations and milk supply and potentially, increases rate of mastitis. Following washing, teats should be dried with single service paper towels (1 or more per cow). Almost any type of paper towel will suffice for drying teats. Drying of teats reduces bacterial contamination on teat skin, im proves milk letdown, decreases liner (inflation) slippage and reduces iodine concentration in milk. It is essential that teats be dried when prep stalls or excess water are used. A stanchion bam propping procedure should include bucket of clean water containing 200 ppm iodine and single service paper towels (heavy duty). A paper towel is immersed or dipped in the iodine wash water and then used to wash a cow’s teats and udder. Drying can be done with the same towel or clean towel. Post-milking teat disinfection Several methods and compounds have been used to kill bacteria on teat skin following machine removal. The most effective method has been teat dipping with 10,000 ppm (1 percent iodine + emollients, 40,000 ppm (4 percent cMorne ot u,OOO ppm iodine + no emollients. Spraying the teats with a hand sprayer is an effective method if teats are covered with 10,000 ppm iodine with emollients. In most cases dairy producers do not take sufficient time with a hand sprayer to adequately cover all four teats. Therefore,'dipping is the superior method of applying a post-milking sanitizer. Another method of applying a post-milking sanitizer is through the use of floor installed automatic or milker-activated teat sprayers containing 10,000 ppm iodine. jnfsEEF CONFINEMENT CONTACT RAYMONDS. 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In an 8 month trial with 240 cows, ap plication of post-milking sanitizer by automatic teat sprayer or hand dipping was comparable in bac terial kill oh teat skin and prevention of infections. Basic problems with automatic sprayers are irritation to milkers from fine mist, variation in coverage resulting from cow size difference and maintenance of equipment. i I ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ iple "F" Milk Replacers B.Y.M. Paste (Probiotic)