Taking good care of the tight, tender teats of freshly-calved cows at milking reduces the risk of mastitis. Some hints for getting the new lactation off to a healthy start are:

Prepare udders before milking

Washing and drying udders before each milking is not routine in many sheds, but it should be. It is a very worthwhile practice for all freshly-calved cows. Taking that extra time to clean and dry teats for the first few milkings helps remove dirt and bacteria picked up at calving.

Putting cups on clean, dry teats is an important element of mastitis control. If you do wash udders, make sure that you DRY the teats using one cloth per cow, after cleaning them manually with a low-pressure hose. Disposable cloths, such as rewashable Chux-type towels, can be washed then rinsed in 200 parts per million chlorine and spun dry in a washing machine.

Use an emollient in the teat dip

After milking, consider using a teat disinfectant that contains an emollient such as 10% glycerine. Emollients soften and condition dry, chapped skin, minimising the possibility of bacteria multiplying in teat cracks and possibly passing through the teat canal and infecting the quarter.

Dipping teats, rather than spraying them for the first few milkings, ensures good coverage of the whole teat surface which helps kill the remaining bacteria.

The Countdown Downunder Farm Guidelines for Mastitis Control state that more than 5 clinical cases per 100 cows during the first month after calving signals a problem in the herd. Taking extra care of teats for the first 8 milkings of a new lactation is a good way to reduce the risk of cows becoming infected with mastitis around calving.

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Countdown Downunder Farm Guideline or Technote
Farm Guideline 5.1, 5.3, 7.5, 25

Keywords
freshly calved cows, teat dip, emollient, risk management

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284