Mastitis in dairy cows: a practical milking routine to protect milk yield

1 October 2026 · ZARI AGRI

Mastitis is inflammation of the udder, commonly linked to infection. It can lower milk yield and quality and may become painful or severe. A consistent routine helps farmers detect changes early and reduce spread, but examination and local testing are needed for a diagnosis.

Why mastitis risk increases

Micro-organisms can enter through the teat canal. Risk rises when bedding is wet or dirty, teats are milked while still damp, one cloth is shared between cows, hands or equipment are contaminated, teat ends are damaged, or a milking machine is poorly adjusted. Air leaks, rough unit removal and overmilking can also injure teat ends and make infection more likely.

Signs to check before every milking

• A quarter that is hot, swollen, hard or painful.
• Clots, flakes, watery secretion, blood, or an unusual colour in the first streams.
• A sudden fall in yield from one cow or one quarter.
• Loss of appetite, dullness, fever, weakness or dehydration.

Subclinical mastitis may show no visible udder or milk change. Repeated low yield or an elevated somatic cell count can raise suspicion, but a veterinarian or trained local service should interpret the result and decide whether further testing is needed.

A practical ten-step milking routine

1. Observe first. Check each cow's behaviour, udder and milk history; clearly identify any suspected cow.
2. Start clean. Wash and dry hands or use clean milking gloves; keep clothing and the milking area clean.
3. Examine the first streams. Strip a few streams into a suitable strip cup, not onto the floor, and look for abnormalities.
4. Prepare each teat separately. Remove visible dirt and dry every teat thoroughly with a clean, single-use towel or an individually assigned clean cloth.
5. Attach consistently. Allow normal stimulation, then attach the cluster without unnecessary delay or air leaks.
6. Watch milk flow. Keep the unit aligned, correct slipping promptly and avoid overmilking.
7. Remove gently. Shut off vacuum before removing the unit; never pull it from the teats.
8. Protect teat ends. Apply a locally approved post-milking teat disinfectant exactly as the label and local veterinary guidance require.
9. Separate risk. Milk suspected or confirmed infected cows last or with separate equipment, then clean and disinfect equipment correctly.
10. Record and maintain. Log yield, abnormal milk, cases, treatments and withdrawal dates; service the machine, liners and vacuum system on schedule.

Protect the milk and the buyer

Keep abnormal milk out of the food chain. Milk from a treated cow must not be sold until the full withdrawal period stated by the authorised product and local rules has passed. Cool and store saleable milk promptly according to local law and buyer requirements. If a veterinarian requests a milk sample, collect it hygienically before treatment whenever it is safe to do so.

Reduce pressure between milkings

Keep lying areas clean and dry, remove manure frequently, provide adequate bedding and ventilation, manage flies, and prevent overcrowding. Ensure reliable access to clean water and a balanced ration appropriate to lactation. Good housing and milking hygiene work together; neither replaces veterinary investigation of repeated cases.

When to call a veterinarian urgently

Seek urgent help if a cow has fever, stops eating or drinking, becomes weak, shows severe pain, has a rapidly swollen or hard udder, produces blood-stained or very watery secretion, or suffers a sudden major yield loss. Also call promptly when several cows are affected, cases spread quickly, or the same quarter relapses. Do not use leftover antibiotics or copy another farm's treatment: the cause, legal products, dose, withdrawal period and resistance risks depend on the cow and local rules.

This guide supports observation and prevention; it does not diagnose or prescribe treatment. Severe illness and rapidly worsening udder changes require local veterinary care.