Missed milkings

Power cuts or significant weather events will probably mean that some milkings will be missed, but cows are resilient.

DairyNZ research has shown cows in mid-lactation can tolerate delays of up to a week, and with careful handling they can return to full or near-full milk production.

Cows in early lactation are more problematic, but there may be the option of leaving calves on cows where shelter is available or reducing milking frequency for a short period of time.

Use less frequent milking where practical

Remember that twice-daily milking is not essential. If you are sharing milking facilities with neighbours, operating under restricted power supply with a generator, or if more urgent things require time you can afford to be flexible, and milk once-a-day or use flexible milking such as 3-in-2, or 10-in-7. Prioritising long-term resilience is important and can be more valuable than short-term production.

Ensure cows are milked out completely

Resist the temptation to rush through milkings. Make sure cows are properly milked out to reduce the risk of mastitis developing.

Spray teats thoroughly

Stock are likely to be confined to smaller areas than usual and so udders could be dirty. Attention to hygiene is very important, and teats should be sprayed manually after each milking to ensure complete coverage.

Expect high SCC

SCC may take several days to fall below 400,000 cells/ml depending on the period without milking and the SCC of the herd prior to the changes in milking frequency.

Be vigilant with mastitis detection

In the DairyNZ study, a quarter of the cows not milked for 7 days developed mastitis. Higher levels are likely in commercial herds. Vigilance is essential for both food safety and the long-term health and productivity of the herd.

If significant damage and farm impacts have led to missed milkings, you may also need to consider drying off some or all cows, even if power returns or a generator can be sourced.

You can refer to the drying off abruptly webpage but the key is to:

• Fully milk cows out (if possible).
• Administer appropriate antibiotic dry cow therapy and internal teat sealants as recommended by your vet.
• Cover the whole surface of the teat with freshly prepared teat disinfectant.

Check SCC tolerances with your dairy company

In emergencies, dairy companies may offer some flexibility around milk quality standards relating to SCC. Contact your area manager, field rep., or service centre.

Consult before dumping milk

Talk to district or regional councils. They will have contingency plans for emergency disposal of milk, and they will be keen to help and advise. What suits your situation will depend on volumes and facilities available and on soil conditions, etc. Options can include irrigation onto pasture or ploughed land, constructed ponds or trenches, and limited disposal to oxidation ponds.

Keep feeding your herd

Cows in early to mid-lactation are resilient to short-term reductions in feed and will respond once normal feeding and milking resume. A slight reduction in feed offered will help relieve udder pressure in high-producing cows during missed milkings.

For cows later in lactation, sustained reductions in feed quality or volume can start the drying-off process, and it will be harder to get cows back to full production. Feed cows as well as you can and ensure that they have access to clean water. Take care if feed type is radically changed.