Reducingsomaticcellcount
Teagasc says reducing SCC from 350,000 to 150,000 in a herd of 100 cows can add as much as €10,000 a year to farm income.
Pre and post spraying is a vital management tool to reduce your herd’s cell count. You must spray each cow with at least 15ml of a quality broad-spectrum teat spray pre-milking. This ensures that any mastitis-causing bugs die before the cluster is attached.
Allow 30 seconds after application before wiping off with a dry disposable paper towel or a disinfected cloth (one per cow). Wear milking gloves to prevent any bacteria transfer. Disinfect gloves regularly during milking.
After removing the cluster, the teat ends remain open for a while, meaning a risk of infection, particularly in poor weather. A good post spray or dip high in emollient protects teats. The Virolac range includes pre and post teat sprays and dips like Quick Spray RTU, Virolac Concentrate and Virolac Film. These are all based on lactic salicylic acid technology (LSA®) developed by our sister company Hypred in Brittany.
LSA® is an active complex of hydroxyl-acids, combining AHA lactic acid and BHA salicylic acid. The combo of natural organic acids ensures a fast-acting, broad-spectrum disinfectant. LSA® works in 30 seconds on a wide range of mastitis-causing bacteria. It’s also works on yeasts, cowpox and cow herpes. The lactic acid acts against bacteria while the salicylic acid acts on both bacteria and viruses.
Hypred Quick Spray is a ready-to-use, high-emollient teat spray combined with LSA® disinfectant for pre and post spraying. Its complex emollient system includes propylene glycol for fine teat condition. This excellent spray controls SCC and Mastitis during peak milk-production period.
Virolac Concentrate is recommended by one of the biggest Co-ops in Ireland for controlling cell counts. This is a versatile 4-to-1 concentrated pre and post teat spray combined with breakthrough LSA® disinfectant for all-round economical formulation. Virolac Film Udder Dip is an advanced teat barrier technology product with LSA® disinfectant for the ultimate udder dip, and it’s ready-to-use.
Virolac Film is enriched with a complex emollient system, including Lanolin, Glycerol and Aloe Vera to ensure outstanding teat condition. A rheology complex allows the formulation to cling to teat for longer without dripping, optimising disinfection and cosmetic action on the teat skin. Its capillary action plugs the teat canal.
Soiled, wet cubicles are breeding grounds for mastitisbugs. A good-quality disinfection powder such as Actisan protects cows from being infected in the cubicle. It stops infection in the calving pen, protecting freshly calved heifers, and scour in calf pens.
If you’ve a cell count problem, milk record and remove high cell count cows. Send samples to a lab to find the cause. Staph aureus means a need to step up hygiene practices. Cluster dipping with freshly mixed peracetic acid solution is crucial, particularly for bugs like Staph aureus to prevent cross-contamination at milking.
For more information on Virolac, contact Mike Condron at 087 6742416.