Develop the Right Udder Care Plan for the Right Situation

Publish date: 9.28.23 

Don’t let udder health be an afterthought. Improper udder care puts your dairy at risk for contracting costly diseases and unstable milk production. The benefits of using teat dips to support proper udder health promotes better milk quality and increases milk production. The key to a successful udder care protocol is using the right product at the right time to ensure maximum effectiveness while controlling cost. However, determining what product to use depends on situations or conditions the dairy is dealing with. 

It is important to understand that the changing of the seasons is not the only time that we need to consider what products we need to use and their effectiveness. Different situations mean different udder care needs for your dairy. Every udder health program should be crafted based on individual weather climate, environmental conditions, management practices, etc. Maintaining proper udder care on your dairy is all about using the right product at the right time.  

That’s why ABS Global recommends developing a situation rotational plan for ideal udder health for your herd. As a dairy producer, you know you need a different product depending on the weather. But have you thought about the other situations on your dairy that impacts milk quality regardless of season? Keep in mind, anything that negatively affects a cow’s teat health or increases the number of cows in the mastitis pen will affect profitability. However, developing a situational rotation considers seasonality and on-dairy situations as they affect profits.   

Haven’t thought about situational rotation? Take a look at the recommendation below.   

  

One Way to Plan a Situational Rotation  

Pre-Dip Recommendation 

• During the wettest or most challenging months, use Valiant Pre because it has a high level of surfactants to help in the cleaning process along with a robust germicidal system.

• Use a more economical product like the concentrate, Express I, when entering drier months or when cows are relatively clean.

Post-Dip Recommendation 

• As you head into cooler months, use Valiant Pre Post, 4XLA, and Express Prime depending on your specific situation.
• Use Artec on the very coldest days as it is a winter dip with 78% conditioners.
• In the warmest and wet months, consider using a barrier product like Valiant Shield or UdderGold 5-Star.

Learn more about what udder care products to use when by reading our article published in Progressive Dairy.

While there are many situations to consider for changing conditions, the winter months are approaching and usually become the most challenging. With winter’s cold, windy, and wet conditions, healthy teat skin is even more important. The cold weather can cause dryness, cracking, or chapping of teat skin, making the cow more vulnerable to infection. If you want to learn the eight ways to keep udders healthy through winter, read our blog about avoiding inconsistent milk production in cold weather.  

You are leaving your dairy unprotected against costly diseases and unstable milk production when not considering a proper udder care protocol. Each dairy has different situations and conditions they are dealing with. Develop the right udder care plan for your situation by contacting your ABS Representative or complete the form below, and we can get you in contact with the right person.