Advisors pointed to the bedding as the main cause. “Deep bedding is great for the cows, but you must really commit to udder hygiene,” she says. They now clean cubicles three times per day and add fresh manure solids every four days. During humid weather, ventilation fans keep the beds dry, and the separator filter is cleaned frequently. “We experimented with lime, but it hardened too much,” she adds.
Stefanie has learned that mastitis rarely has a single cause. “It’s almost always a combination of factors.” A major issue turned out to be the milking claws in their 2x16 herringbone parlor. “They damaged the teats, causing the orifices to protrude,” she says. After several adjustments, they switched to Milkrite claws with top venting, which reduces teat-end vacuum.
The milking routine was also tightened: the 60-second rule is strictly applied, each teat is pre-foamed, cleaned with disposable paper towels that are never reused between cows. “We used to use cloth towels – until an advisor told us we wouldn’t believe what was living in them,” she laughs. After milking, they apply a barrier dip that seals the teat orifice. “With recycled bedding, that’s essential,” Stefanie emphasizes.
Chronic high-cell-count cows are now culled, and deep-bedded cubicles were removed from the waiting area. “If a cow gets Klebsiella, she almost never recovers,” Stefanie notes.
That pragmatic approach fits their breeding goal: strong, healthy cows. “For us, animal health always comes first,” she concludes. “And that only works when you look at the whole picture.”