Chapters 10.4

10.4 - The Use of Iodine Udder Wash for Small holder Farmers

Brooklyn Barber, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Barber,B (2022) The Use of Iodine Udder Wash for Small holder Farmers, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Background on Iodine Udder Wash and Mastitis

Washing the udder of milk bearing animals has been a well-established practice in dairy farming for many years, and most products commonly use iodine as a bacteria-killing agent (Williamson & Lacy-Hulbert, 2013, p. 262). Additionally, most iodine-based udder washes also include an ingredient such as lanolin, glycerin, or coconut oil to moisturize the teats to prevent dry, cracked skin which can increase the risk of infection as bacteria can enter the wounds (Ruegg, 2015). There are different forms of iodine udder wash that can be applied in different ways, but the result is the same, keeping the udder clean and stopping bacteria from entering the udder to prevent mastitis.

Mastitis is an infection of the udder that can affect the amount and quality of milk an animal produces, and in serious cases can be fatal. There are multiple ways that bacteria get into the udder but the most common are bacteria from the farmer’s hands when milking and inadequate cleaning of udders or milking equipment, making good milking practices and hygiene very important for dairy farmers (Erskine, 2020). Equally important, is ensuring that the animal remains standing for around 30 minutes after milking. This is because it takes time for the teat to close after being milked, which is an opportune time for bacteria to enter the udder. When an animal lays down before the muscles in the teat close, it exposes the teats to bacteria from the ground which can cause mastitis (Krekelberg, 2020).

The most common symptoms of mastitis are red, swollen and/or painful udders that may feel hot to touch, as well as abnormalities in milk. Farmers can check for mastitis by examining the udder for the symptoms mentioned above, and checking milk for defects like blood, clots, and a watery consistency (Erskine, 2020; Taylor, 2021). However, not all cases of mastitis present with obvious symptoms, but they can still decrease milk yield and quality. There are tests to help farmers find asymptomatic mastitis, and it is treatable with veterinary care, but small farms often cannot afford or access tests or treatment which is why prevention of mastitis through hygiene is incredibly important (Mdegela et al., 2009; Romero et al., 2018, pp. 6-7).

Benefits of Iodine Udder Wash

The main benefits of iodine udder wash for smallholder farmers are that decreasing symptomatic and asymptomatic mastitis will potentially increase milk yield and quality, and farmers are less likely to have to pay for veterinary care or cull their animals due to infection. Studies have shown that asymptomatic mastitis can cause significant losses in milk production in developing nations; for example, Adamu et al. (2020, p. 23) found that mastitis causes milk loss of up to 5.6% in Ethiopia and 17.5% in India. Preventing these losses in milk production could mean more food for a farmer’s family or extra product that can be sold for cash.

Another benefit of iodine udder wash is food safety. Milk from cows with symptomatic or asymptomatic mastitis can contain bacteria that can be passed on to humans and make them seriously ill, especially if the milk is consumed raw (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2017; Kamal & Bayoumi, 2015, 1037). In most of Africa, India and other developing nations, the dairy sector is made up of smallholder farmers who primarily sell raw milk, and both buyers and sellers usually lack refrigeration to keep raw or processed milk fresh during the farm-to-table process (Kakati et al, 2015, p. 656; Owusu-Kwarteng et al, 2020, p. 2). Similarly, if smallholder farmers can afford to treat their animals with antibiotics for mastitis, their milk will contain those antibiotics for a period, making prevention preferable to treatment. By preventing mastitis, iodine udder washes help ensure a safe and healthy product for a farmer’s family and for their customers.

Iodine udder wash is also inexpensive. A one-gallon (3.78 litres) bottle of iodine concentrate costs $12.99 USD, and because 1 ounce (29.5 milliliters) of the iodine concentrate is diluted with 3 gallons (11.35 litres) of water, a single one-gallon bottle will make 384 gallons (1453.6 litres) of udder wash (Theisen’s Home Farm Auto, 2021). In the case that a farmer does not have access to clean water to dilute the solution, iodine udder wash products that are directly applied to the udder such as pre- and post-milking teat dips are similarly inexpensive, about $11.62 USD for 21 litres (Alibaba, 2021c). The undiluted iodine products will also require farmers to have a teat dip cup, which is also a very inexpensive piece of equipment priced anywhere from $0.75 USD-$3 USD depending on the number of cups farmers wish to order (Alibaba, 2021a; Alibaba 2021b).

How to Use Iodine Udder Wash

There are different forms of iodine udder wash that require different procedures. For example, some udder washes need to be mixed with water and others are applied directly to the udder, similarly some are used before milking, while others are used after milking (Baumberger et al., 2016; Foran, n.d.), so it is always important to follow the directions on each product. No matter which form of udder wash is used, it is important to make sure that hands and milking equipment are clean, and that the solution stays on the teats for a minimum of 30 seconds, as this is how long it takes for iodine to kill bacteria (Erskine, 2020; Krekelberg, 2020). Also, it is essential to make sure that each teat is fully covered in the iodine solution since missed spots could allow bacteria to enter the udder.

At the end of this document, there are links to pictures and videos explaining how to use different types of iodine udder wash products as well as other resources for improving health and productivity of a herd.

Adoption of Iodine Udder Wash for Smallholder Farmers

To the best of my knowledge, there do not currently seem to be any major initiatives to increase the use of iodine udder wash by smallholder farmers. However, there have been successful interventions in Egypt and Tanzania where smallholder farmers were given the products, tools, and instructions to use iodine udder wash products resulting in fewer cases of asymptomatic mastitis in herds, increasing milk quality and quantity, and by extension improving quality of life for the farmers (Kamal & Bayoumi, 2015; VanLeeuwen et al., 2012).

Farmers also may not be aware of asymptomatic mastitis or they may not realize the financial losses that it can cause (Romero, Benavides & Meza, 2018 p.6), which suggests that education on the topic is needed. Karimuribo et al. (2006) found that offering a mastitis training course and handouts on preventing mastitis and then asking participants to share knowledge with other farmers was effective in reducing mastitis long-term on smallholder farms in Tanzania. A similar training course or handout could be created to educate farmers on the benefits of iodine udder wash. In particular, picture-based lessons and handouts would likely benefit smallholder farmers, as this has been shown to be one of the preferred ways of learning for this population (Devkota et al., 2020). Additionally, educational advertisements on local television and radio programmes would also be beneficial as this is also a primary way that smallholder farmers prefer to receive information (Devkota et al., 2020, p. 10).

Critical Analysis

Though prevention of mastitis is important for smallholder farmers and iodine udder wash could be an effective solution to this problem, it is not without its limitations. As mentioned above, some udder washes require water to mix with the iodine concentrate, but the water used to mix the udder wash must be clean or there is a risk of mastitis causing bacteria being in the water which would render the solution useless (Erskine, 2020). It may be difficult for some farmers to access clean water in which case it would be better for them to use an udder wash that does not need to be diluted and can be directly applied to the udder. However, even udder washes that do not require water do require other equipment such as a teat dip cup that will need to be cleaned to the farmer’s best ability with clean water between milking sessions. So, whether the farmer chooses a diluted wash or a direct wash, there will still be some sort of extra input needed to use the product properly.

In the case of farmers who choose an udder wash that needs to be diluted with water, there will be extra labour involved in obtaining that water and bringing it back to their farm, but this labour cost is potentially offset by the benefits of increased milk quality and quantity through mastitis prevention. Additionally, all forms of udder wash require minimal extra labour during the milking process, and that labour is likely worth the increased milk production (Romero et al., 2018, pp. 7-8).

There is also a concern about excess iodine from udder washes getting into the milk (Borucki Castro et al., 2012, p. 220). Therefore, all iodine udder wash products must be used as directed and instructions generally include cleaning any excess iodine wash from the udder before milking.

A final concern is that the cost of iodine udder wash products may be too expensive for a single smallholder farmer. However, the product could easily be shared amongst a village, farmer group or cooperative to help keep costs down for individual farmers.

Conclusion

Mastitis is a significant problem for smallholder dairy farms and prevention is essential (Mdegala et al., 2009). Iodine udder wash is an inexpensive and easily used product that could reduce the number of symptomatic and asymptomatic mastitis infections which could in turn increase income and quality of life for smallholder farmers (Kamal & Bayoumi, 2015; VanLeeuwen et al., 2012). Initiatives to educate smallholder farmers about mastitis and the use of iodine udder wash as prevention need to be further explored.

Additional Resources and How-To Videos

Text and picture infographic showing how to hand milk cows including pre- and post-dipping procedures: https://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/media/animalifasufledu/dairy/docs/How-to-Properly-Hand-Milk-Cows-(1).pdf

Animated video showing how to use iodine teat dip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWW-Pwe8Ac4&list=WL&index=3&t=58s

How to use iodine udder wash that is diluted with water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSXjNd0Oumc

Explains a few different ways iodine dips and washes can be applied and best practices for teat dip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhEEY0pOGMg&list=WL&index=1

How iodine kills bacteria and prevents mastitis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=295xJ_G9xZM&list=WL&index=6

Best practices for hand milking dairy cows (available in multiple languages): https://www.accessagriculture.org/hand-milking-dairy-cows

Best practices for keeping milk clean and fresh (available in multiple languages): https://www.accessagriculture.org/keeping-milk-clean-and-fresh

Udder Hygiene Guidebook: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/21451842/udder-hygiene-guidebook-gea-farm-technologies

Iodine teat dip for sale $11.62USD for 21 litres: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HIGH-QUALITY-TEAT-DIP-VIFILM50-1_1600195695253.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_image.8a2b59768F6Cpq

Iodine udder wash (needs to be diluted) for $12.99USD – 1 gallon makes 384 gallons: https://www.theisens.com/products/controlled-iodine-udder-wash-concentrate/50030460/

Teat dip cups $1.04USD per piece: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/300ml-PP-Plastic-Teat-Dip-Cup_62004828532.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.47534aeac0IilZ

Teat dip cups for bulk wholesale (min order 1000 pieces at $0.78USD per piece): https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Foaming-Teat-Dippers-Return-VTN004-Medicated_1600112153607.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.6eaa4aea0y5YuV

References

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2. Alibaba. (2021a). Foaming Teat Dippers Return VTN004 Medicated bath cup Not Reflowable Teat Dip Cup. Alibaba. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Foaming-Teat-Dippers- Return-VTN004- Medicated_1600112153607.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.6eaa4a ea0y5YuV

3. Alibaba. (2021b). Good quality Non Return Teat Dip Cup. Alibaba. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Good-quality-Non-Return-Teat- Dip_60282723569.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.6eaa4aea0y5Yu V&s=p

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