Automatic Disinfection and Flushing

Also known as: ADF

Automatic Disinfection and Flushing (ADF) is a method of post milking teat disinfection (PMTD) used in dairy cows for the control of contagious causes of mastitis. In addition to PMTD, the cluster is flushed between cows to further minimise the probability of infection being transferred between cows in the parlour. The flushing removes any milk residues within the liner that may be harbouring pathogens.

The system works by having a specialised cluster unit and teat liner. The claw piece has an extra connection through which the disinfectant and flushing solution pass. The specialised liner has a valve located near the mouth of the liner. When the cow’s milk flow decreases to a certain level, this triggers the activation of an Automatic Cluster Removal (ACR) mechanism. At the same time a squirt of disinfectant comes out of the valve near the mouthpiece of the liner so that when the cluster is removed, this coats the teat with disinfectant. This process also disinfects the liner which is then flushed through with alternating water and compressed air to remove all residues that may be present. Removal of such residues is vital from a public health perspective by avoiding contamination of the bulk milk tank. Some systems perform the flushing component with peracetic acid.

The advantages of such a system over regular PMTD is the timely application of disinfectant to the teat, good teat coverage, additional flushing of the unit, low disinfectant use (6-8ml per cow) and time efficiency for the operator. The disadvantages are the cost of installation and maintenance (including replacement of the specialised liners). It is also important that the system is set up correctly to ensure adequate, consistent disinfection.

A simpler system that just performs the flushing component is also available (“Clusterflush”).

References and Further Reading

Biggs, A., 2009. Mastitis in Cattle, 1st Edition. The Crowood Press Ltd.

Blowey, R., Edmondson, P., 2010. Mastitis Control in Dairy Herds, 2nd Edition. CABI International.

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