You can’t control the weather, but there are some things you can control to ensure cow comfort and udder health are optimal through extreme winter conditions.
“Frostbite is always a concern on dairy farms depending geographically where you live in the United States and Canada,” said Greg Larson, a product manager at BouMatic. “It can lead to cows not milking out. When they have frostbite, you have to hand strip the cows to get them back into the milking process. It is a real issue for management as you’ve only got so much time in a day.”
As a product manager at BouMatic, Larson passionately develops and manages products that make life easier for dairy farmers while keeping cow comfort top of mind. One of those products is a seasonal teat dip–Arctic Shield Plus–designed to prevent frostbite.
How Frostbite Happens and The Signs to Watch For
Before we talk more about preventing frostbite with things like Arctic Shield Plus, it’s important to discuss why frostbite happens and what to watch for.
“Frostbite tends to be brought on by a lack of blood circulation,” Larson explained. “You often see this in post-fresh cows and heifers. They tend to have low blood circulation or edema issues.” That is why Larson advises keeping a close eye on your post-fresh pen in regards to frostbite.
He also advises to: “Watch the flow reports on your milk metering system. Or if you have hired help, tell them to keep a close eye on it. If you have gone down in milk for any reason it may be a sign of frostbite.”
Physical signs to watch for include cows dancing during the milking process, irritable cows, milkings taking longer, brown skin that is flaking, red teats, chapping and vertical lesions.
Why a Seasonal Teat Dip Makes All The Difference
Another frostbite factor is damp bedding and the milking process. “Cows are often returning to the freestalls still wet from being milked,” Larson said. “That is where a teat dip like Arctic Shield Plus comes in. It’s applied post-milking and is formulated to provide warmth.”
A winter-specific teat dip protects against the harsh conditions while still performing the job of a regular dip – killing germs that lead to mastitis and applying skin conditioners for healthy teat skin.
“There is a fair amount of lanolin and glycerine to provide great skin conditioning,” Larson explained. “It also has propylene glycol to add heat and help with blood flow. So, this product is a great option for the post-fresh pen where you know blood circulation isn’t optimum.”
For some, a concern with using a seasonal teat dip is that it will not effectively kill the germs like a regular dip. “You’re not compromising your kill ratios with Arctic Shield Plus,” Larson stated. “We use a third-party, independent laboratory for all of our efficacy testing. We are 99.999% kill ratio on staph, strep and E coli.”
Other Management Strategies for Winter
Along with adding a winter-specific teat dip to your winter management strategy, Larson says preventative maintenance is key when it comes to frostbite and udder health. “Watch the weather forecast. Know what is going on. Don’t be reactive to it. Be proactive. Try to stay ahead of it.”
Other care strategies include trying to keep bedding warm and dry, discussing with your nutritionists the appropriate rations to feed, regularly checking your waterer or water tanks for frozen water, and preventing the accumulation of ice as much as possible.
And back to the winter-specific teat dip. “If you live in those harsh winter environmental conditions, you want protection for your cows – bottom line,” Larson advised. “When you use a seasonal teat dip, you’re basically providing an insurance policy on your cows to make certain they don’t get frostbite, which can lead to mastitis and not milking out. You have to protect those cows and you have to be able to protect that milk quality standard on your farm.”
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