Let's start this topic with an overview of hazards you may encounter in a dairy and maintaining your health and safety.

Remember:

• Safety is everyone's responsibility, you need to look out for your safety and the safety of those around you by being aware of your surroundings, not taking shortcuts, and cooperating with your employer when they take action to improve health and safety.

• Remember the rule of thumb: If you see something, say something.

• Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where it is available and according to instructions you are provided on farm.

Now, let's learn about mastitis in cows, and how it's caused and prevented on dairy farms:

Remember:

• Mastitis is inflammation of one or more of the quarters of the udder. It occurs when bacteria enter the teat canal and move up into the udder.

• Mastitis can be prevented by reducing the number of bacteria on cow's teats.

• Healthy udders produce high volumes of good quality milk.

One way to reduce the number of mastitis-causing bacteria is through post milking teat disinfection. Let's learn more about this now:

Remember that post milking teat disinfection:

• Reduces the number of mastitis causing bacteria on the teat and around the teat end
• Must cover the surface of each teat completely to be effective
  
• Is one of the most important things you can do to prevent mastitis.
  

Improper water use in and around cows can also contribute to the spread of mastitis infections. Here are a few tips for water use around cows:

Remember, bacteria are good swimmers, so always use a higher volume of low pressure water around cows to prevent splashing onto the teats.

Resources

Your on-farm coach now has a series of activities related to this topic for you to complete on-farm. They can download these activities from the 'On-farm Coach Resources' section.