Farm Animals

Cattle Mastitis Prevention through Milking Hygiene

Milking hygiene is the cornerstone of mastitis prevention in dairy herds, with teat preparation, post-milking teat dipping, and milking machine maintenance all critical components.

Key Facts

Mastitis is the most costly disease in dairy farming and a major cause of welfare suffering
Contagious mastitis spreads cow to cow through the milking process
Pre-milking teat preparation removes dirt and stimulates oxytocin release for milk let-down
Post-milking teat dipping with iodine or barrier dip prevents new infections
Milking machine vacuum levels and pulsation ratios should be tested regularly for welfare impact

Welfare Considerations

Mastitis causes significant pain affecting millions of dairy cows annually. Rigorous milking hygiene is the most cost-effective intervention preventing this preventable disease.

What You Can Do

Implement and audit a complete milking hygiene protocol including pre- and post-dipping
Service milking machines annually and check pulsation and vacuum settings
Identify and treat clinical mastitis cases within 12 hours of detection
Record mastitis events to identify recurrent cases and high-risk periods