Teat Pre-Wash
By using the correct strength of PureClean® during the pre-wash process, and by following the good cleaning practice procedures given in the PMO, a producer can prepare the animal for milking while protecting the animal against pathogens, with all the safety they can provide to the animal teat health.
Teat Post Drip
The test study was also done on the post teat dip after the milking process and the study showed the most effective was the iodine-based teat dip. This was based on its superior absorption rate and long-lasting killing ability long after the milking was complete. No residuals where present in future milking because of the duration in-between milkings.
Milker Back Flush/Cross Contamination Rinse Cycle
Most modern milking systems have a back flush circulation system. These systems are designed to rinse the milker from the teat cup inflation to the milk line, to prevent cross contamination of bacteria, infection, and other pathogens from one cow teat to another. The most common chemical used to eliminate bacteria and stop the spread of harmful pathogens is iodine, or peroxide.
In the study conducted by the third-party testing program, HOCl at a concentrated solution of 600 ppm to 1000 ppm (based on the existing injection system) was proven to be much more effective than iodine and much safer on milker parts, than peroxide. It was also much more cost effective than the other two commonly used products.
Milk Line Rinse
The most commonly used chemical used to rinse and sanitize the milk line after cleaning is bleach in one form or another. Even though Bleach is a very effective sanitizer, HOCl is 6 times stronger and many times safer. Bleach has also been known to make rubber hoses, gaskets, and seals become brittle and start to leak. It is also important to know that even though Bleach is a great oxidizer and bacteria killer, it does not have very much ability to strip and eliminate biofilm. This means if you are using Bleach on a regular basis you are sanitizing the fluid in the lines but not stripping the smaller bacteria forming in butterfat, and scale left behind in the line, seals, and gaskets. This also increases a milk producers’ chance of a high bacteria count and having the milk rejected by the processor. In most cases this bacterium is blamed on poor milking procedures and the herdsman is notified that some cows may have high cell count. This can be fixed by pinpointing the problem and cleaning the lines with a more effective process.
It is also known that cleaning the lines after each milking properly requires a lot of chemistry and hot water. By using HOCl properly, a cleaning process can have at least one rinse process eliminated, cut down on time, and cost while cleaning the lines more effectively. All this while effectively eliminating hard to strip biofilm that grow and produce more problems for the producer.
Barn General Cleaning and Milking Hoof Wash
The general cleanliness of a milking parlor can and does affect the production, and general health of the animal being milked in the parlor. In every parlor tested and encountered, the parlor was continuously washed and cleaned using potable tap water sprayed from a handheld spraying gun. This is common and a very good practice to insure a clean environment, for milk production and the animal.
In our study, we tested ATP on a variety of surfaces before and after the process of washing was completed. The testing showed in most cases where the animals walked and stood to be milked were not free of the ATP “live bacteria” even after a simple rinse with straight tap water. This means each cow had the potential of cross contaminating other cows with pathogen related conditions such as infections, and hoof warts.
We then treated the parlor water with a small dose of HOCl reaching from 3 ppm to 10 ppm and retested. We found a significant decrease in any pathogens left behind after the treated rinse. This will not only cut down on the spread of bacteria and pathogens from animal to animal but was proven to significantly improve the general health of the herd and parlor cleanliness.
Animal Wound Care/Antiseptic
HOCl is currently used in the veterinary world as one of its most effective products used for wound care and antiseptics. It can easily be produced and used for a verity of applications such as wound care, hoof warts, hoof wrought, skin irritations, and infection. You can apply solution every time the cow is milked.
Calving Sheds, Stalls, Calf Health
Keeping calves healthy and strong during the first three months of life are one of the largest obstacles on a dairy farm. The mortality rate is very low on most farms, and more specifically in the winter months. Calves are much more susceptible to viruses, infections, and bacteria-based illnesses over any other animal with very few exceptions. The largest cause of illness in calves is based upon their surroundings with poor conditions and higher rate of cross contamination due to proximity and hygiene. It has always been our goal to get any animal healthy and to stay healthy. Using HOCl in the following applications will help:
- General cleanliness of the caving facility
- Close proximity with each other and cross contamination
- Poor feeding and drinking areas
- Insufficient quarantining of sick animals
In every case, we found the calf illnesses could easily be almost all eliminated by cleaning properly, disinfecting all areas with HOCl, and quarantining and caring for the sick animals properly.
Drinking Water Gut Health
There have been multiple studies on animals drinking clean water to promote general gut health as related to weight increase and milk production. Most studies show if an animal drinks treated clean drinking water their weight can increase anywhere from .25 lbs. per day to 1.5 lbs. a day more than with untreated water. These same studies show a dairy cow can increase in milk weight from 7% a day to 21% a day over untreated water.
These same studies related the increase to the fact an animal can tell the difference between clean water and unclean water. They will drink much more treated water over untreated water based upon the general health of the animal; animals seem to know the difference. These same studies reflected clean watering areas as well. The water may be treated potable water, but the watering troth or general area may be infected or unhealthy.
It is also important to clean and disinfect the watering area and troth on a normal maintenance basis to keep all pathogens free from water and area. A healthy cow will live longer, use their food more efficiently, produce more milk, and require less attention.
