Administering Dry Cow Treatments

Administration of Dry Cow Treatment has some hazards for cows and operators. It is critical that it is carried out properly.
It is easy to introduce bacteria into the teat if the teat end is not disinfected properly, or it is contaminated before it has sealed. Infection with environmental bacteria can cause severe mastitis.
Operators can be injured by cows during administration of Dry Cow Treatment; it is important to take time and have help.
Antibiotic residues in milk and meat (including calves) must be avoided by observing the minimum dry periods and withholding periods after calving which are specified for each product. This is particularly important where cows are culled during the dry period, or calve earlier than expected.

Plan for the time and effort that treating cows with Dry Cow Treatment takes.

Administration of Dry Cow Treatment is a critical and difficult job.
Ensure that responsible operators are trained adequately in the procedure and supervised well.

  • To do a good job with Dry Cow Treatment, one person can only handle about 20 cows per hour.
  • More than one person is often needed to do the job well and reduce the hazards associated with the procedure, especially if cows are not used to having their teats handled.
  • Select reasonable sized groups of cows to be treated after any one milking.
  • If practicable, at the previous milking, draft out the next batch of cows to be treated.
  • Administer the treatments as recommended ensuring the teat ends are sanitised properly.
    • Teat wipes are no longer provided when dry cow therapy products are purchased.
    • Teat ends should be disinfected with paper towel or cotton wool soaked in 70% methylated spirits. (To make 7 parts of methylated spirits with 3 parts cool boiled water). Disinfect by vigorously rubbing the teat end for a minimum of 10 seconds. Check the colour of the paper towel, if it is dirty, repeat the scrubbing using a new piece of paper towel.
  • Treat all quarters of cows to receive Dry Cow Treatment (except quarters that have been dried off for some time in cows milked as 'three teaters').
    If a quarter is dry, absorption of the Dry Cow Treatment in the quarter will be changed.
  • Dip teats with freshly made up teat disinfectant after treatment.
    Even if you usually spray, dipping is preferable after Dry Cow Treatment to ensure complete coverage of the teat.
  • Mark the udder (e.g. with a spray paint) so that cows that have received Dry Cow Treatment can be easily recognised.
    This allows easy recognition if cows rejoin the herd in error.
  • Record cow ID, date and product details of all Dry Cow Treatments.
    If cows calve early, or a decision to cull them during the dry period is made, the date of treatment and the withholding period of the particular product must be known.
  • For each batch of cows treated, mark the earliest calving date allowable for the meat withholding period and minimum dry period to pass. Calves born before this date may contain antibiotics, whether they have sucked or not. They should not be sold for slaughter until the meat withholding period for that product has elapsed. Check the label.
  • To minimise milk and antibiotic leakage, do not walk cows long distances for 3-4 days after Dry Cow Treatment is administered.
Mastitis after cows have been dried off.

Cows are susceptible to new infections particularly in the first week of the dry period before their teats have sealed. These infections must be identified and treated so that they do not persist and create problems after calving. Remember, however, the objective is to achieve teat plug formation quickly.

 

    Look at udders of all cows for swollen quarters (larger than other quarters on the same cow), while cows are in the paddock.
  • Avoid bringing cows near the dairy area (or they may start running milk).
  • Observe every day for a week.
  • Do not handle - just look.
  • If a quarter is swollen, bring the suspect cow into the dairy area and check the udder manually.
    Check swollen quarters manually.
  • Check for heat and pain - compare between all quarters.
  • Strip secretion from suspect quarter and check. It may be different from milk prior to drying off (e.g. thicker and more 'stringy') and therefore difficult to assess.
  • If suspicious, treat as a clinical case.
  • Do not remove milk or secretion from adjacent normal quarters. Treat clinical quarters by stripping out completely and using a full course of lactation antibiotic.
  • Veterinary advice is recommended.
  • Use Lactating Cow intramammary antibiotic (even if Dry Cow Treatment was previously used in the quarter).
  • Use the full course of the antibiotic (as recommended on the label).
  • Strip out completely and continue to strip out at least twice every day during the course of the treatment.
  • Injectable antibiotic may be appropriate.
  • Record clinical details.
  • Treat again with Dry Cow Treatment and amend record of date for Minimum Dry Period when the case is resolved.
  • For clinical cases that occur in the first week after drying off, re-treatment with Dry Cow Treatment is advised.
This article has been modified from the Countdown Downunder Farm Guidelines.

 



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