Dairy hygiene is a vital part of the daily routine on any dairy farm or facility. It’s of the utmost importance that the environment, equipment, and the animals are clean, and safe. Poor cleaning methods and products can cause a spread of disease, which can quickly overtake a facility. Diseases and pathogens can contaminate the equipment, dairy supply, and make the dairy cows ill, which could even kill your animals.
All the water used in your daily hygiene routine must be clean, drinkable water. Remember that choosing the right cleaning products and having the right temperature water is important – some bacteria can survive at higher temperatures than others. Post-milking washing should begin immediately after each milking, as milk deposits start to form straight away due to the heat in the system from the flow of milk in the pipes.
At stages of the production cycle, you may need to boost the health of your livestock. During birthing periods, the increase in bacteria is high. It becomes a challenge that you need to tackle with specialist products that can provide the vitamins and minerals needed to ensure that your livestock thrive. Animals need nutrition. You should make sure that any new livestock get a healthy start by maximising its defence against diseases, and minimising its exposure to such diseases. Clean regularly, feed regularly, and keep your animals healthy and warm.
Poor udder health and mastitis are the costliest conditions in the dairy industry. Mastitis effects farmers in numerous financial ways, not only with the cost of treatment, and vet bills, but also for indirect costs. The average cost of one clinical case of mastitis is approximately £211. If a farm had more than one case, this could be a huge loss of income.
Hoof health and lameness in dairy cows remains a challenge for the dairy industry, as well. Preventing these medical issues is a never-ending task for farmers, and there’s usually at least one cow on every farm with a foot that needs attention. But it is as important as treating poor udder health.
An effective plant cleaning routine needs to be in place, and completed regularly, to ensure bacteria and milk residues are removed from all internal and external surfaces. There are a range of alkaline and acid based cleaning programme products to suit all systems, and a good provider will have a dedicated farm team to advise on a programme for your own farm.
Many farmers are modernising their farms with robotic systems to improve time management. The use of these systems can be quite beneficial, but they also need specific cleaning and service products to prevent damage to the equipment. You’ll want to find a provider with a dedicated range, who have experience with the upkeep of these systems.
At Kilco, they work closely with the farming industry to increase animal health and wellbeing. You’ll find that they have an innovative range of products that mix science and everyday practicality, which is perfect for your dairy farm.