ESSENCE OF POST MILKING TEAT DIPPING – AN AMELIORATIVE MEASURE FOR THE MASTITIS CONTROL

NAVANEETHA KRISHNAN.S¹ and BAVA FAKHRUDEEN.S²

1. ^{VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ORATHANAD, TANUVAS, TANJAVOOR}
2. ^{PG SCHOLAR, DEPT.OF.VET.MEDICINE, COVS, GADVASU, LUDHIANA-01}

India is the world’s largest producer of milk and has the world’s largest dairy herd, comprised of water buffalo, indigenous and crossbred cattle. Dairy cooperatives have played a sustainable key role in expanding milk and milk-product marketing, and government acts as a catalyst to increase the production and uplift the livelihood of our farming community. To achieve the higher production, good dairy farming practices are essential one. Good dairy farming practices helps to provide safe and quality milk. The practices comprises of animal health, hygienic milking , nutrition ,animal welfare, environment and socio-economic management. Mastitis is the inflammation of mammary gland and is a major endemic disease of dairy cattle causing major economic loss to the farmer. The occurrence of mastitis varies due to multifactorial pathogens, poor managemental practices and seasonal variation because of high temperature and humid conditions may predispose the animal to mastitis. Lack of awareness, late detection of sub-clinical mastitis, unhygienic milking practices, improper treatment etc. are some of the important contributing factors in higher incidence of mastitis.

Mastitis prevalence in india is high in summer and rainy months than winter months. Animals which are suffering from clinical and subclinical mastitis is not fit for human consumption. The most important detrimental effects of mastitis consists of changes in the quality and safety of raw milk and milk yield reduction .Various control measures have been developed and adopted to mitigate the effect of mastitis. Despite development of various techniques for control of mastitis, the disease is still prevalent and posing a major threat to the milk production.Among these control measures, post teat dipping shows importance as an essential preventive tool in mastitis. Post teat dipping is highly effective in preventing new intra-mammary infections against different microbial pathogens causing mastitis. Post milking teat dipping helps to reduce the somatic cell count.

Types :

Teat disinfectants are provided in a variety of product types in an even broader array of  formulations. Product types include: post-dips, pre-dips, post- or pre-dip concentrates, foaming dips, winter dips, barrier dips and versions for spraying. Post milking teat disinfectants are based on a range of germicides, levels and types of emollients and physical forms and are applied by range of application method. historically products were applied by dipping or spraying.In most published cases and  studies products were applied by dipping. Today products are marketed in a variety of physical forms and application techniques without always a clear understanding of advantages of different product types. In case of teat disinfectants, the four major types which are used commonly are germicide, emollients, surfactants and water. It should be noted that teat conditioning is extremely important for all types of post-milking dips. It is somewhat less important for pre-dips/udder washes because of the shorter contact time.

The post teat dipping solution must possess the following characteristics

Germicide:

The germicide is the most important component of a teat disinfectant, and its objective is to eliminate microorganisms that can cause mastitis and which are present in the teat skin at the time of use. They are categorized into oxidative and non oxidative germicides.

Oxidative germicides eliminates microorganisms by means of chemical reaction the most common oxidative germicides includes iodine 1% ,chlorine dioxide,  hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite. on the other hand non oxidative germicides include lactic acid and chlorhexidine among others these germicides attack microorganisms in specific sites by means of physical interaction creating rupture of membranes and interrupting enzymatic reactions.

Emollient:

Humectants such as glycerine and sorbitol are the most common materials used as emollients in teat disinfectants when they are applied topically they draw water from the epidermis from the dermis but very little from the environment.

Surfactants :

These components tend to play various roles within the formulation such as detergent that helps to remove soil from skin, solublising agents (complexing agents in iodophores)

water :

The fourth component is water it’s proportion within formula varies on whether the product is formulated as a concentrate or as a ready to use solution

The main objective for teat disinfection :

• Coats the milk film on the teat with an antibacterial solution
• Helps to prevent transmission of contagious bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus agalactiae
• Improve the condition by combination of skin conditioner and disinfectant

Dirction for use:

• Do not further dilute with water or mix with any other other teat dips. If product in dip cup becomes visibly dirty, discard contents and replenish with fresh product.
• Do not reuse or return any unused product to the original container.
• Using fresh iodine 1-2% teat dip, dip each teat full length into the teat dip cup.
• Do not wipe.Allow to air dry .
• Do not turn cows out in freezing weather until the product is completely dry.
• Iodine 1-2% teat dip is not intended to cure or help the healing of chapped or irritated teats.

Teat dipping is performed with a teat cup which consists of two compartments. The lower compartment squeezed to move product into the upper compartment which is used to coat the teat skin surface. Compared to spraying,less product is used ( 10mL per cow) due the more controlled approach. However,it is still important to cover the whole teat with some operators only dipping the distal end of the teat.

Adequate post milking teat disinfectant can be assessed visually in the parlor as part of a mastitis investigation. this would include an assessment of teat coverage and time of application .However ,the operator may modify their technique when being critically observed.

Precautions:

Wash hands thoroughly after handling.Get medical advice / attention if you feel unwell. Take care of eye contact, skin contact,ingestion, and inhalation.

Manual application of the disinfectant is the most common approach taken by farms.this should be performed as soon as possible after the cluster has been removed to minimize the entry of pathogens into the udder from the teat skin. With the teat orifice being open after milking ,disinfection should also kill bacteria residing within the milk canal.

Conditions for success:

• Disinfectant must be applied soon after milking
• Disinfectants must coat the entire surface that was covered by the teat liner
• Do not wipe disinfectant in very cold weather, the farmer should remove the excess disinfectant in the teat end to prevent cracking and freezing
• Product should contain an approved germicide to eliminate bacteria and a skin conditioner, since sores can harbours bacteria

Disadvantages of using as sprayer

• Hard to coat the entire teat than using a teat dip cup
• Requires more product and may increase iodine content of milk iodine permeates to the skin

Conclusion:

Finally post milking dipping is essential to control the spread of mastitis organisms the ideal form of application is by teat dipping which will generally achieve a better coating of the teat  than spraying and will use  considerably less solutions spraying  can be just as effective provided it is applied diligently but farmers must accept that they will use up to 50% more solution.post teat dip was significantly effective remedy in the prevention of clinical and sub-clinical mastitis in dairy animals as well as against the control of pathogens which causes serious threat to mankind. Hence, farmer should be encouraged to adopt post teat dip to reduces losses due clinical and sub-clinical mastitis and avoid health issues in human beings In cows, post teat dip had no any adverse effect on milk composition and udder health. Post teat dip was significantly effective remedy in the prevention of clinical and sub-clinical mastitis in dairy animals as well as against the control of pathogens which causes serious threat to mankind Hence, farmer should be encouraged to adopt post teat dip to reduces losses due clinical and sub-clinical mastitis and avoid health issues in human beings.In cows, post teat dip had no  adverse effect on milk composition and udder health. Efficacy of postmilking teat dipping has been well established and widely accepted as a milking practice in controlling new intra mammary infections. With the emphasis on efficiency and performance of milking procedures and milking systems, milking technologies continue to be developed to increase labor efficiency and performance of milking . Teat disinfection aids in the prevention of new infections but is also an opportunity to improve teat condition. By adopting to these preventive measures the farming community can feel free from the incidence of mastitis  and thereby they can uplift their livelihood.

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