Forestripping is a method to encourage milk letdown, eliminate microorganisms in cisternal milk and to allow the detection of clinical mastitis. Forestripping is adequate if 2-3 streams of milk are expressed.  . In parlors, cows can be forestripped onto the floor.  Bulk milk SCC problems cannot be solved without the incorporation of forestripping into the milking routine. The most dangerous bacteria reside at the teat end. Teat end disinfection is important in reducing the number of bacteria. It is well established that proper teat end disinfection, can reduce teat surface bacteria by 75%. Reduction in teat end bacteria numbers reduces the rate of mastitis. There is a considerable amount of confusion regarding how to best accomplish teat end disinfection. Wisconsin dairy farmers vary considerably in their practice of teat disinfection depending upon facility type. Predipping is most effective in the control of environmental pathogens (E. coli and environmental streptococci) and has been shown to have limited effectiveness against coagulase negative staphylococci. A minimum contact time of 20-30 seconds is needed for effective disinfection.

4. Teats are Dry

The most important portion of the teat disinfection process is thorough drying of teat ends. Air drying is not a satisfactory substitute for manual drying with an individual cloth or paper towel. Wet teats allow skin bacteria easy access into the gland and reduces friction between the teat and the liner.  Cloth towels have the advantage of being more absorbent than paper. When cloth towels are used they should be disinfected by washing with bleach or very hot water and drying at high temperature in an automatic dryer. These methods have been demonstrated to significantly reduce pathogen numbers. Additionally, the use of latex or nitrile gloves by milkers can help reduce pathogen transfer. Gloves both protect milkers skin and reduce the contamination of teats from milker’s skin. Gloves can be easily changed between groups, further reducing the likelihood of pathogen transfer. To check the effectiveness of teat disinfection and drying, a clean swab can be rubbed across the end of the teat prior to unit attachment. A swab from a properly prepared teat will remain clean. A dirty swab indicates that teat preparation methods should be improved.

5. Units are Properly Attached

An important element of the attachment process is timing. The time from the beginning of the cow preparation process until unit attachment is referred to as the "prep-lag" time. To maximize milking efficiency, units should be attached within one minute from the beginning of stimulation. A range of 45 seconds to 1 minute is acceptable. Prep-lag times >2 minutes have been shown to result in more residual milk and lower milk yields.  A large flow of milk will be visible within a few seconds of unit attachment if prep-lag times have been optimized. A primary decision in pre-milking routine, is deciding how many cows each operator will prep prior to unit attachment. Several common routines have been developed that utilize groups of 3, 4, or 5 cows to ensure that prep-lag times and pre-dip contact time are optimized.  A standardized process of unit attachment should be followed. During the process of individual teatcup attachment, the teatcups are raised toward the teat, straightening the liner and minimizing air admission. Units should be adjusted and aligned so that cluster weight is evenly distributed. Units should be aligned so that the claw outlet is pointed at the head of the cow (conventional parlors) or directly between the legs in parallel parlors. Proper unit adjustment results in fewer liner slips.