DH-91
Rev. July, 1969
Milking Management and Mastitis
Willard Dillon, Extension Dairyman
Good management of milking results when the important jobs are performed correctly.
It is closely tied in with the overall management of the dairy farm. Let us consider the more important overall factors and their relationship to mastitis and milk quality.

Udder: Cows with exceptionally large and pendulous udders are more subject to injury and mastitis. Cull those cows that cannot be machine milked.

Teat: Size and shape have little relationship to susceptibility. Evidence indicates that the rate of milking is closely related to the ease with which the teat valve opens.
These "easy milkers" offer less resistance to the entrance of microorganisms and are more subject to mastitis.

Age: Age is not a dependable gauge of mastitis infection; however, there appears to be a greater incidence of mastitis in older cows.

Milk Production: High levels of milk production do not result in high levels of mastitis.

Stage of Lactation: Has little direct effect although clinical mastitis is often observed at freshening time as a result of carryover from the previous lactation and dry period.

Hormones: No specific hormones have been demonstrated to affect mastitis incidence.

Heredity: Inherited differences in susceptibility to mastitis and in rate of milk flow appear to be small. Cows intermediate in rate of milk flow and udder size appear more desirable than extremes in either direction. At present, it does not appear that elective breeding for resistance to mastitis is practical.
Calves: Raise calves in separate pens until they are weaned to prevent suckling and possible teat and udder damage.

Seasonal: No seasonal effect on mastitis incidence has been consistently noted.

Feeding: Feeding high levels of grain, protein or any specific component of the concentrate mixture have not been demonstrated to increase mastitis. There is no direct evidence that adding vitamins, minerals or antibiotics to a normal ration will control mastitis.

Housing: Adequate housing and proper bedding reduce the incidence of mastitis. Proper ventilation and minimum drafts help reduce mastitis. Stanchion barns with large stalls reduce udder and teat injuries. Well-managed loose housing further reduces udder and teat injuries. Free-stall housing saves considerable bedding, results in cleaner cows, can be adapted to many existing barns, and may help reduce mastitis.

Size of Herd: Large herds may have slightly more mastitis than small herds; however, much more variation in incidence of mastitis exists within each herd, regardless of size.

Accidents: Minimize physical injury by good housekeeping around the farm and the proper design of stalls, steps, ramps, barn lots and feed bunks.

Milking Order: In a stanchion barn, milk from non-infected to infected cows to minimize the spread of microorganisms. When milking in a parlor, effective control of the milking order is difficult; therefore, extra care should be taken to rinse and sanitize the teat cups after milking a possibly infected quarter.
Dairy Section • Animal Sciences Department
Cooperative Extension Service, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Lafayette, Indiana