Advice for dairy farmers: Eight tubes per cow can make drying off a big job

Many farmers will start to dry off spring-calving cows during October.

Some farmers struggle with this job, resulting in poor cure rates during the dry period, and cows calving down with a higher cell count than at drying off.

Poor dry-off procedures will increase both the number of cows with elevated cell counts at calving and the number of cows developing mastitis in the first 30 days next spring.

Yield will be reduced, and both treatment costs and workload will be increased as a result.

It pays to implement a correct drying off procedure.

Don Crowley of Teagasc recommends these steps to drying off.

* Dry off in batches of 10.

Remember, if using a teat sealer with the dry cow tube, 80 tubes will be applied to these 10 cows.

If drying greater numbers, then you need to get additional help. Plan for the time and labour that drying off takes.

* Draft out a group of cows, and leave them until the end of milking.

* Clean out the parlour and organise tubes, methylated spirits and cotton wool.

Make sure to keep the tubes sterile – do not remove the cap until ready to use.

* Go and have some breakfast.

* Get a new set of gloves for drying off.

* Completely disinfect the end of each teat. Start with front teats, and clean with cotton wool and methylated spirits. Treat the teats nearest you first, followed by treatment of more distant teats.

* Teat dip or spray all teats immediately after treatment.

* Mark each cow dried off with spray marker, take note of the number and dry off date.

* Keep cows standing for at least two hours after treatment; don’t allow cows to lie down in dirty yards, roadways, fields or housing.

Take time this autumn to dry off cows correctly.

For more information, see CellCheck Management Note D or watch the practical video at www.animalhealthireland.ie