Three Surefire Ways to Improve Winter Teat Health
Old Man Winter has dug in his heels as snow continues to blanket the country and temperatures plummet. The harsh wind coupled with the bitter cold leaves a painful sting across farmers faces as they work to care for their animals.
Cold, dry weather can lead to chapped teats and dry skin, creating teats that are more difficult to clean, painful and an ideal environment for bacteria—increasing the risk of mastitis. According to Maristela Rovai,assistant professor and South Dakota State University extension dairy specialist, special care and precautions should be taken during the winter season to avoid chapped and frozen teats after cows are milked.
“Complete healing of a frostbite injury can take more than a month (45 to 60 days), and milking will usually cause re-injury to the tissue and pain to the affected cows,” Rovai says.
To avoid possible teat damage during the winter months, it’s important to consider the following factors:
Watch the Wind-Chill
The wind-chill temperature is how people and animals feel when they are outside, and its intensity will be related to how strong the wind is blowing. According to Rovai, some researchers have found that wind-chill has a more important impact than actual ambient temperature.
“To prevent frozen teats and consequently teat damage, we should pay attention to the National Weather Service Wind Chill Chart and know when frostbite might occur,” Rovai says.
Pay Attention to Housing
Ensuring animals have a warm, dry space to protect themselves from the elements is an essential part to keeping cows comfortable and maintaining teat health. Take time to look and analyze your facilities for damaged sidewalls, torn curtains and drafts. Cows tend to feel most comfortable in air temperatures that range from 25°F to 65°F, Rovai notes.
Bedding also plays a large role in teat health. “Bedding should be kept dry and clean, free of manure and supplied daily with dry, clean bedding,” Rovai says. “While bacteria grow best in high temperatures and humidity, keep in mind that stall surfaces are only a few degrees lower than body temperature when cows are lying down, which is warm enough for bacteria to multiply.”
Mismanaged or malfunctioning curtains need to be addressed year-round, especially during the winter months. “Blocking the wind from loading areas and returning alleys outside the parlor will reduce wind-chill temperatures. This will help prevent chapping and frostbite,” Rovai adds.
Know Your Winter Milking Procedures
Every operation should have a standardized set of milking procedures, but these may need to be tailored as the thermometer drops. The South Dakota State University dairy extension offers these winter milking procedure recommendations to consider.
- Pre-check of the teat skin conditions and teat end at the time of teat fore-stripping.
- Post-dipping products: Selecting a good teat dip is fundamental to keeping the skin healthy and preventing winter chapping. Emollients are known as conditioners or lotions, and they are water-based. These products are crucial to protect and soften the skin in cold weather. Ideally, use skin conditioners, like glycerin and lanolin, that leave less water but more glycerin than any other teat disinfectant. Note: You may frequently hear the word "ointment" to use on teats. This oil-based preparation usually contains medicine for applying to the teat skin when sore or damaged.
- Check how wet the teat is after using the post-dipping (Figure 1). If it is too wet, you may experience severe wind-chill. Allow teats time to dry before releasing cows, or dry the excess of the post dipping used with a clean towel before leaving the parlor, or only dip the teat end.
- Other tips include warming the dip product in a bucket of hot water before applying it to the teat. It is more comfortable for cows and reduces drying time.
- Manufacturing instructions: Following a product's label and instructions for use is essential to ensure effectiveness. Under severe cold or wind conditions, post-milking teat dipping with improperly formulated teat dips may facilitate teat chapping, resulting in increased colonization by the staphylococci usually associated with teat skin.
Please note that it's important to choose products that keep the teat skin healthy and protected during low temperatures, since it's not recommended to skip teat dipping during cold days. If teats are chapped, you should ask your supervisor and the veterinarian for help.