Dairy Cows in Field

Gerard Ryan is a dairy farmer based in Cappawhite in Co. Tipperary. He is milking 120 cows and supplies Arrabawn Co-op. Back in 2017, Gerard was struck with a mastitis problem in his herd when he reverted to his milking routine for winter. Unfortunately, the mastitis spread quickly causing great concern and Gerard was at a loss to pinpoint how exactly the infection took hold.

Dairy Direct Solutions

Gerard got in touch with Dairy Direct and explained his dilemma. Kathryn Kenneally of Dairy Direct advised a mastitis prevention routine to halt the spread of infection. Fourtress Protect Film contains Lactic Acid and Chlorhexidine disinfectant. She advocated post spraying the cows after milking with Fourtress Protect Film to help kill the bacteria being transferred onto the teats during milking. The filming forming abilities of this product make it ideal to halt the spread of bacteria as the thick coating provides long-lasting cover post milking. Fourtress Protect Film also has a high level of emollients to contribute to teat condition and overall udder health.

Kathryn also suggested a slight change in cow management after milking. It was recommended that the cows should be left to stand for 15 minutes before heading back to the cubicles. This would further enhance the use of Protect Film, to help it provide extended cover to the teats when they are at their most vulnerable post milking. By using a two-pronged approach, the routine enables the cows to get the full benefit of the spray and as much protection as possible.

Success with Fourtress

Gerard has been following the routine tailored by Dairy Direct now for two years and has had great success. The Fourtress Protect Film is the product that Gerard is particularly complimentary about as it has been key to the solution. When it comes to udder health, as always, prevention is better than cure. Gerard would recommend Dairy Direct and the Fourtress brand to other farmers looking for preventative long-term solutions to protect their herd.

If you would like to learn how Dairy Direct can tailor successful solutions to suit your herd, call 0818 303081