Flip of the towel helps get teats cleaner
Riverside Dairy
To maintain healthy teat ends, we monitor vacuum levels at 11.9 to 12.2 inches at the teat end,” said Andy Fisher of Reedsville, Wis., “Each year, we evaluate the milking unit takeoff settings for wetness and dryness, and we try to keep reattachments to a minimal level of 0% to 1%. We also graph units quarterly,” continued the dairyman whose farm was one of six herds to win this year’s National Dairy Quality Awards from the National Mastitis Council.
“We use 1% iodine teat dips with six-way emollient and 10%-plus conditioners,” he said. “After washing teats, employees are trained to flip the towel to clean the teat ends,” continued the Wisconsin dairyman who is really committed to producing quality milk. “Clean, dry towels are provided weekly by a towel service. LED lights provide bright, white light for better visibility while prepping cows. Lastly, we strive to keep cows calm while in the holding area an