Post-milking teat dipping is a vital step in your biosecurity program and for dairy hygiene products. Regular, effective teat-dipping will not only prevent a build-up of bacteria on the teat, leading to mastitis, it will also avoid the costs of discarded milk and penalties from your milk buyer if your supplies become contaminated.
Teat treatment options
The most effective protection in dairy hygiene products is achieved by complete coverage of the teat with teat dip, ensuring that the entire surface and the entrance to the canal are protected, and that there is nowhere for bacteria to breed. Teats can be treated post-milking by either dipping or spraying, and each has their advantages.
Teat dipping, using dipping cups, provides reliably complete coverage, ensuring all areas of the teat are coated. It also uses the least teat dipping solution, at around 10ml per cow, per dipping. However, teat dipping can be a laborious process taking a considerable amount of time.
Teat spraying is faster and more efficient for busy farms, however it does not guarantee complete coverage and this system is prone to problems with blocked jets and other equipment issues, leading to incomplete coverage from dairy hygiene products. Teat spraying also uses more solution that dipping, at around 15ml per cow. Automated spraying systems, triggered as the cows leave the milking shed, can be even less effective and can take as much as 20-30ml of solution per cow, yet result in a far less complete coverage.
Choosing your teat dip
As with many products on the farm, spending on quality, rather than compromising to save money, will always turn out to be a good investment in the end. Changing from spraying to dipping can save you a third in solution costs, which can then be spent on improving the quality of your products. Furthermore, investing in teat dip solutions that include teat conditioners avoids the need for any additions, and also guarantees that the conditioners will work in harmony with the anti-bacterial elements, rather than reducing their effectiveness.
The Kersia teat dip range includes ingredients such as glycerine, eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil to improve teat condition, without compromising the solution. The range includes products that have been scientifically proven against a wide range of bacteria and can reduce levels of Staph. aureus, E.coli and Strep. uberis by more than 99.999%, and Candida albicans by more than 99.99% within 5 minutes.
Kersia leads the way
Kersia Power Blue Mix is a powerful Chlorine Dioxide based barrier teat dip that offers outstanding protection that really stands out, with its striking blue colour clearly demonstrating the complete coverage it provides. For larger farms that operate a teat spraying protocol, Kersia Novo Spray has been formulated to include silicone, which ensures a smooth flow through spray equipment and prevents blockages in the jets. The silicone also provides excellent skin conditioning properties.
Kersia can also help in the fight against mastitis and other infections elsewhere on the farm too, including in the bedding pens. In independent laboratory tests, Kersia Envirex bedding powder was proved to be significantly more absorbent than six major competitors, while also offering biocidal protection against a wide range of pathogens.
With economic factors constantly putting dairy farms under pressure, it may be tempting to cut corners with biosecurity measures such as teat dipping. However, with Kersia on your team, you can afford to protect your herd in a way that is both comprehensive and cost effective, looking after both your milk flow and your cash flow.
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