Agri-View – No doubt about it. Winter is here. As the cold chill nips at your nose, cheeks and fingertips, keep in mind that udders and teats are also sensitive to the season’s extremes. While we can’t control the weather, we can control factors that ensure cow comfort and udder health, says J.W. Schroeder, North Dakota State University Extension Service dairy specialist.
Wind chills and temperature changes are the major factors leading to winter teat challenges, he says. A 20-degree drop in temperature may be enough to trigger teat-end lesions, which open up the risk for a mastitis infection.
Frostbite can be another dangerous consequence of not implementing practices that protect udders from winter’s blustery winds and temperatures. According to UW Milk Quality resources (www.milkquality.wisc.edu), both cows and heifers may be at risk of developing frozen or frostbitten teats. Outwintering lactating cows exposes them to the elements, but even when kept inside a building, the lack of adequate, dry bedding or windbreaks can lead to freezing. A long walkway from the milking parlor back to pens can also be a danger zone. Among heifer groups, a “sucker” can pose an even greater threat when temperatures drop.
It is recommended that producers stay focused on mastitis prevention year-round, especially during winter. While it may be tempting to skip teat dipping due to the risk of freezing, the result could be a costly outbreak of contagious mastitis. Cows that suffer frostbite are at high risk for developing subclinical or clinical mastitis, and in these situations, Staph. aureus is often the culprit.
MINIMIZE RISK FACTORS
Schroeder recommends minimizing the risk factors on your dairy that could lead to frozen or frostbitten teats and udder tissue. Throughout the facilities, control exposure to weather factors as much as possible. Avoid drafts by keeping ventilation systems in proper working order. If animals must go outdoors, be sure to provide some sort of windbreak. Stalls should be comfortable, dry and well-maintained in order to reduce bacterial exposure.
In the milking parlor, strive to keep teats disinfected, healthy and soft. The goal of prepping the cow during cold weather should be to maximize teat disinfection and skin conditioning while minimizing irritation and trauma. Cloth towels work best for this, according to Schroeder, because they dry teats more thoroughly and with less abrasion. Blotting teats dry as opposed to rubbing them can also reduce irritation of sensitive teat skin.
Further, producers should maintain milking practices and sanitization procedures that reduce the risk of secondary bacterial infections. This includes routine milking equipment maintenance and replacement, such as checking vacuum and milk line hoses, pulsators, inflations and vacuum levels.
Among workers, hygiene practices should be upheld as well, including the use of gloves and individual towels. It may also be useful to review proper techniques that minimize teat stress during milking.
“Remember that teat-end changes can occur rapidly in winter with dehydration and cracking, and at other times with acute machine problems,” Schroeder says. “Minimizing the weather effects through proper facilities and environments is job one. Some practices may need to be altered or adapted during cold weather (dipping, blotting, etc.), and the advantages and disadvantages should be carefully examined when evaluating using new technologies or products such as teat dips.”
CHOOSING A WINTER TEAT DIP
Iowa State Extension Dairy Specialist and Professor Leo Timms believes that teat dipping should serve two purposes: to provide a germicide that will kill mastitis, and to apply skin conditioners that keep the teat skin and ends healthy. For producers currently using a dip that satisfies both of those needs, it may not be necessary to make a switch during cold weather. However, situations that pose direct exposure to frigid wind chills or outside temperatures may warrant a switch.
Specific winter teat dip formulations are designed to be used only during cold weather and high-risk situations where teats will freeze or dehydrate quickly, according to Timms. High emollient dips contain higher levels of skin conditioners and minimize the initial freezing risk after milking because they evaporate slowly; however, this also means that the teats stay wet and oily for a longer period following dipping. This may be a potential problem if cows are exposed to cold or dirty conditions. It is important for these dips to contain a proven germicide.
Powder-based dips are another option to keep teats dry and reduce the risk of freezing. Full teat coverage is necessary when using these dips, and housing conditions must be clean and dry to avoid moisture wicking on the teats. Timms notes that formulations are available with both germicides and skin conditioners.
Timms cautions against using barrier dips during extremely cold weather. These often take in excess of 20 minutes to dry, therefore increasing the potential for teat problems.
