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
Milk quality starts during the dry period
Wilson Centennial Farms
Dry cows are kept in freestall barns and put into separate groups, far-off and close-up,” said Brent Wilson of Wilson Centennial Farms near Carson City, Mich. “Both groups are bedded with clean, fresh sand once a week and scraped once a day with a skid steer. The barns are equipped with temperature-controlled fans, and the far-off barn has misters over the headlocks,” continued the co-owner of one of the six herds to win this year’s National Dairy Quality Awards from the National Mastitis Council.
Perhaps the best enhancement for their dry cows falls into the area of stall design.