Wood wool is not just wood wool not just wood wool - Holzwolle

Appeared in Zürcher Bauer, 4. Mai 2012, Author: Roger Bolt, Strickhof
SUCCESSFUL PREPARATION FOR MILKING
Wood wool is not just wood wool
If wood wool is dust-free, free, fibrous, dry and soft, it is the most suitable material for
preparing cows for milking. And still at the most competitiive price.
By Roger Bolt, Strickhof
Wood wool is used for various purposes in the most varied of areas of use. Because of its antiseptic
properties, wood wool used to be used in the most demanding areas of hygiene and medecine as
filling material, insulating material or packaging material. Often it was even used as cleaning and
dressing material. The recently published book by Hanspeter Frey. .Werkstoffmonografie Holzwolle
(2011)., [Monograph on wood wool as a raw material] des describes cribes the history of wood wool from its
beginnings on the basis of facts and figures.
The Toggenburg idea
Wood wool was first used to clean cows' udders in the 1950's in Toggenburg. The farmers' idea to use
wood wool to clean the udders of their livestock was recorded by Fritz Lindner, the proprietor of a
wood wool factory. He spent countless hours developing a natural product which would not irritate
either human or animal skin; this product is now used under the trade name, agroclean for
preparation for milking.
The Swiss wood wool standard
The cantonal milk inspector, A. Ringger from Bülach was already recommending in 1957 that farmers
clean their cows' udders with wood wool. Care must be taken, he wrote, [...] not to use any random
wood wool. On the contrary, ntrary, care must be taken that the wood wool has been freed of dust and has
long, fine fibres[...]
To be able to use wood wool successsfully in preparation for milking, the following requirements for
the wood wool are crucial: it must be free of splinters and dust, dry with fine fibres, soft and non non-slip.
Since there has been no standardisation in the wood wool industry up to now, the Swiss Wood Wool
Standard (www.lindner.ch) has been defined (see box).
Wood Wool Swiss Standard Specifications for wood wool filaments for udder cleaning
Type
Length in mm (maximum)
Thickness in mm
Width in mm
Moisture under
Proportion of short fibres per kg
produziert von | made by:
LA1
500
0.12
1.3
13%
1.2%
Bleikenstrasse 98 | CH-9630 9630 Wattwil | Phone +41 (0) 71 987 61 51 | Fax +41 (0) 71 987 61 59 | holzwolle@lindner.ch | www.lindner.ch

Appeared in Zürcher Bauer, 4. Mai 2012, Author: Roger Bolt, Strickhof
Reduction in milking time
As well as using the correct wood wool, it is important to follow the correct sequence of tasks during
preparation for milking. First of all the first sprays of milk must be milked into the pre pre-milking cup,
since the first one or two sprays of milk contain a much higher germ content than the rest of the milk.
Then the udder must be cleaned dry. Thanks to the effective stimulation by the wood wool the milk
let-down down is improved and milking time is reduced.
A study conducted in October 2009 by the French agricultural centres of Fontaines and Semur
Châtillon lon revealed this correlation. In Switzerland we now also want more information on the subject.
The vetinerary hospital at the University of Zurich is currrently testing wood wool in preparation for
milking as a Master's thesis. The first results are await awaited in summer 2012.
Cost comparison
Wood wool is used for cleaning udders as a disposable material. In this process, the wood wool can
be simply and ecologically disposed of in manure. Or it can be used as kindling for the fire.
A cost comparison of wood wool as against wet wipes for udder cleaning conducted by Tier und
Technik 2011 shows that wood wool performs better in terms of cost.
Strickhof. A A A department department department of of of the the the Office Office Office of of of Landscape, Landscape, Landscape, Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture and and and Environment Environment Environment in in in the the the
Building Department Canton of Zurich, Zurich, 8315 Lindau, Telephone Telephone 058 058 105 105 98 98 00 00 1, 1, www.strickhof.ch
www.strickhof.ch
produziert von | made by:
Bleikenstrasse 98 | CH-9630 9630 Wattwil | Phone +41 (0) 71 987 61 51 | Fax +41 (0) 71 987 61 59 | holzwolle@lindner.ch | www.lindner.ch