FACILITIES HYGIENE

MILK HYGIENE BEGINS WITH FACILITIES HYGIENE

Unsanitary, dirty pens represent high number of bacteria and high risk of

mastitis because:

ØCows lie down on dirty beds, and udder become contaminated

ØManure is scattered on cows’ udders when they are forced to run or walk fast

Scrape pens

every time

cows are

milked (2 or 3

times per

day)

Provide clean bedding 1 or 2 times per week.

Remember: The bed is in direct contact with the udder.

POOR HYGIENE AND STRESS: FATAL COMBINATION

How clean or dirty the cows are when entering the parlor reflects not only on facilities hygiene, but also how the

cows are handled in the pens by the farm personnel. Under stress, cow body defenses are suppressed making her more vulnerable to disease.

Developed by Humberto Rivera, MS., supported by the program “A Mexican-U.S. Dairyland Partnership Between Queretaro and Wisconsin: Dairy Training Research, and Extension for Economic Development and Trade”.

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