Spray offers protection and repellent benefits (May 25)

Switching to a natural teat spray has reduced mastitis incidence and it’s also helping to keep flies away from cows during milking on one Scotland-based dairy unit.

TEXT SARAH ALDERTON

Switching from an iodine-based teat dip to a naturally derived, broad-spectrum antimicrobial cleaning agent has helped one Scotland-based herd cut costs and, at the same time, improve udder health and overall cow welfare.

James Lawrie, who farms with his brother David and their parents Arthur and Susan at Cuthill Towers in Kinross, began using EnviroSystems’ EnviroCare Teat in May 2024 across his 280-strong herd of Ayrshire and red-and-white Holsteins.

Initially drawn to the product due to its lower cost (it’s almost half the price of the iodine spray he’d previously used as both a pre- and post-dip), James is not only impressed by its efficacy but also by an unexpected added benefit – its fly-repelling ability.

The fully-housed, all-year-round-calving pedigree herd, which took home the Ayrshire championship at 2024’s Royal Highland Show, has historically dealt with E coli mastitis, which is the primary pathogen impacting udder health on the unit. Despite this challenge, the herd is currently averaging 10,000 litres of milk, at 4.22% butterfat and 3.63% protein.

Mastitis incidence

E coli mastitis cases are now rare and, since switching to the teat dip, James has seen a 10% reduction in mastitis incidence – down to 18 cases per 100 cows – with the herd average somatic cell count averaging just 120,000 cells/ml.

Maintaining a strict milking routine, with a focus on cleanliness, is key to keeping mastitis at bay, according to James. “Most problems with mastitis come from within the parlour,” he says. “We follow a strict parlour routine, and it’s important that everyone understands what’s involved.”

The routine includes pre-spraying cows with EnviroCare Teat, stripping each quarter, and then wiping the teats with reusable cloths (each cloth is used for two cows), before clusters are attached. The cloths are then washed in peracetic acid. After milking, the teats are sprayed again.

Parlour service

The 15:15 herringbone parlour is also serviced annually to ensure equipment and vacuum pressures are correct, to help safeguard teat and udder health. James also switched to using silicone vented cluster liners in 2024, which increased milking speed.

Cows with mastitis or high somatic cells counts (SCCs) are marked with blue tape, on a rear leg, and teats are treated with a strong iodine solution. The units are also sprayed after these cows are milked with a 5% peracetic acid solution to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Milk is sold on a liquid contract to Müller to supply Sainsbury’s, so maintaining low mastitis levels and SCCs is essential. To further protect against mastitis-causing microorganisms, the Lawrie family applies a germicidal powder to the cubicles every afternoon.

In addition to helping reduce mastitis cases, James has also found that the citronella in the EnviroSystems product helps to repel flies when cows are in the parlour. This, he believes, has been key in stopping the flies from agitating the cows and may have also reduced the spread of E coli bacteria between cows.

“The fly-repellent action has been so effective that we avoided using a fly spot-on product for most of summer 2024,” says James. “Typically we’d start using a repellent from May and reapply this on a monthly basis. But, after one early treatment in May 2024 before we started using EnviroCare Teat, we only used it again in October when fly numbers began to increase significantly.”

Financial saving

James estimates that changing to the teat spray saved between three and four spot-on fly treatments in 2024, and he’s hopeful for similar results this year. When combined with the lower cost compared to iodine, the switch has delivered a significant financial saving for the business and also contributed to improved herd health.

With reports of bluetongue currently circulating as far north as the Scotland–England border in Cumbria, James is pleased with the added protection he believes the repellent action offers. “It gives us some peace of mind knowing that it’s providing additional protection. It’s also an excellent product for teat health, so we’ve only seen positive effects since making the switch,” he adds.