Calving season is when mastitis risk climbs fastest. New calvers are more vulnerable, routines are less predictable, and it's easy for a small gap in teat care to turn into a bigger problem once cows are in full milk.
The good news: most mastitis risk at calving comes down to a handful of basics, done consistently. Here's a simple checklist to help keep your herd's teat condition and udder health on track through the calving rush.
Why Calving Season Raises Mastitis Risk
A few things stack up at once during calving:
● New calvers are at their most vulnerable. The udder is adjusting to full production, and teat canals are more open in the days after calving, a window where bacteria can get in more easily.
● Routines are less consistent. Relief staff, longer hours, and irregular milking times make it easier for a step to be rushed or missed.
● Everyone's attention is stretched. Between new calves, herd health checks, and feeding, teat care can end up lower down the priority list than it should be.
None of this is avoidable, it's just the nature of the season. But knowing where the risk sits makes it easier to stay ahead of it.
The Calving Season Teat Care Checklist
1. Full Teat Coverage, Every Time
Post-milking teat spray only works if it actually covers the teat. Partial coverage is one of the most common, and most preventable, gaps in mastitis prevention. Check application technique regularly, especially with relief milkers who may not have the same routine down yet.
2. Fresh Calver Monitoring
New calvers deserve extra attention in their first few days of milking. Keep an eye on udder condition, milk appearance, and general demeanour. Catching an issue on day one is far easier to manage than catching it on day five.
3. Clean Cups, Clean Hands, Clean Shed
Basic hygiene remains the foundation of mastitis prevention. Liners, clusters, and hands are all potential transfer points between cows; a quick check of shed hygiene standards before calving ramps up is time well spent.
4. Teat Condition Checks
Cracked, chapped, or damaged teat skin gives bacteria an easier way in. Cold, wet calving conditions can be tough on teat skin, so it's worth keeping an eye on condition alongside your regular herd checks and adjusting your teat care product if you're seeing damage.
5. Consistent Product Use Across All Staff
Calving season often means more people in the shed. Make sure everyone, permanent staff and relief milkers alike, is using teat spray consistently and correctly. A quick refresher at the start of calving is a small investment that pays off across the whole season.
Why It's Worth the Extra Attention Now
Mastitis doesn't just affect the cow it hits, it costs treatment time, discarded milk, and can affect production for the rest of the season. A few extra minutes of care during the busiest weeks of the year is a lot cheaper than dealing with a mastitis case once it's taken hold.
Backed by Science, Trusted on NZ Farms
Deosan's TEATX Plus range has been protecting Kiwi dairy herds for over 30 years, formulated specifically for New Zealand conditions. Whether it's calving season pressure or the middle of a tough winter, having a proven teat care product, used consistently, is one of the simplest, most effective things you can do for herd health.
Get Ready for Calving Season
If it's time to review your teat care setup before calving peaks, our product range has options to suit every system, and our Territory Managers are on the ground across the country to help. Find your local rep here for hands-on advice ahead of the season.
