Bedding Management with a View to Promoting Udder Health

Elevated bedding bacteria counts are associated with an increased risk of intramammary infection. Benchmarks for monitoring bedding hygiene and related important bedding characteristics are established for some materials. A first step to reduce risk is to select inherently clean and dry (low-risk) bedding materials. Regardless of what bedding material is selected for use in a farm, steps may be taken through sourcing, processing, and storage to ensure clean, dry ready-to-use bedding. In addition to the frequent addition of fresh bedding to stalls, producers can adopt several stall-management and manure-management strategies in the barn to minimize pathogen exposure to the udder.