National Milk Quality Award Winner’s Parlour Routine
A finalist in the 2012 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards and eventual winner of the National Award for Care of the Environment & Diligence, Merle Tanner is a firm believer that the adoption of an effective parlour routine goes to the very heart of profitable milk production.
Currently milking 50 cows, near Aglish Coachford in Co Cork, Merle is continually striving to ensure that the management needs of her cows are met in full at all times. The current production figures for her herd make impressive reading. Annual yield are in the region of 1,600 gallons with butterfats at 4.162%; proteins at 3.58% and lactose percentage averaging 3.7% for the past 12 months.
“We are milking all year round,” Merle further explained.
“AI is used on all the cows with meals fed in parlour as required.”
The cows are milked using a modern 12 point plant. Significantly, Merle feels most at home in the milking parlour. Here she has the opportunity to view the cows close up twice daily. She does not find milking a chore: in fact the opposite is the case.
“A good milking routine is absolutely crucial,” she stressed.
“All the cows are pre dipped with Deosan Teatfoam, which helps to remove any soiling on the teats. It’s simply a case of wiping the teats with a good quality paper towel after the teatfoam has been applied. A new towel is used on each cow. I find this the easiest and fastest way by far to clean the udders. Prior to using the teatfoam it took a lot of effort to get the teats completely clean and dry. Thankfully, this is no longer a problem.”
Merle places great significance in keeping teat condition good throughout the year. With this in mind she now uses the barrier teat dip: Deosan Mastocide.
“Chafing of teats causes a number of problems. It can lead to hacks and rough skin. These problems also make the affected cows restless in the parlour,” she continued.
“I have found Deosan Mastocide to be the solution to all of these issues. It acts as an effective barrier teat dip against chafing while, at the same time, encouraging fantastic teat condition at all times.”
The cell count figures achieved by Merle last year are proof positive that her milking routine is delivering for her.
“In 2012 the average cell count figure for the herd was 38,” she commented.
“Sometimes it is below this figure. Dairy farming is my first love. But at the end of the day the business has got to make a profit. And that means maximising the price I get form my milk!”
Deosan’s Enda Moran was a recent visitor to the Tanner farm.
“Merle is proof positive that making that little bit of extra effort to pre dip with Teatfoam and then using Mastocide as an effective barrier teat dip will have a significant payoff in both terms of improved teat condition and enhanced farmgate milk returns,” he explained.
“Her on-farm experience fully backs up the results of trials which confirm that pre dipping cows will help to reduce the levels of bacterial pathogens on teat skin.”
Enda went on to point out that Deosan Mastocide is available as a dip only. It is applied using a free Deosan teat cup. The product is now being used by increasing numbers of Irish dairy farmers, as their cows head for the paddocks in early Spring.
“However, the vagaries of the Irish weather are such that cows’ teat skins are prone to chafing the year round,” he said.
“If the wind isn’t blowing the rain is falling. Very rarely will cows have the perfect environmental conditions which they need to ensure that the potential for teat damage to occur is at minimal levels.”
Enda concluded:
“The solution to the problem is a very simple one: Deosan Mastocide, the Number One Barrier Teat Dip for the ultimate in teat condition. It contains chlorhexidine digluconate biocide to provide comprehensive and rapid disinfection and meets the requirements of EN1656.”
Click here for further details on Deosan Teatfoam or Deosan Mastocide