Effectiveness of selected premilking teat-cleaning regimes in reducing teat microbial load on commercial dairy farms.

AIMS: To determine the effectiveness of premilking teat-cleaning regimes in reducing the teat microbial load and effect on milk quality. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effectiveness of several premilking teat-cleaning regimes in reducing teat microbial load was assessed using 40 cows on each of the four commercial UK dairy farms with herringbone parlours during two sampling periods. In the first experiment, all the treatments reduced teat total viable count (TVC), but there was no significant difference between the hypochlorite wash and dry wipe, iodine dip and dry and alcohol-medicated wipe or dry wipe alone. In the second experiment, the chlorine wash and dry wipe was significantly more effective in reducing teat TVC than a water wash and dry, chlorine dip and dry or a dry wipe. There was no relationship between cleaning regime and milk TVC, Enterobacteriaceae or Escherichia coli levels. CONCLUSIONS: All of the cleaning techniques studied reduced teat microbial load, however, the chlorine wash and dry was the most effective. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The premilking teat-cleaning techniques studied reduced the teat microbial load and therefore reduced the potential for milk contamination; however, a wash including an effective disinfectant followed by a dry wipe was the most effective.