To prevent milk contamination and mastitis, cleaning of udders must be undertaken before extracting milk. The use of disinfection and disinfectant removal is labour-intensive. Using brushes is also problematic partly because of the need to have frequent replacement of the brushes. Replacement of brushes in a large-scale dairy farm can amount to a substantial cost in the operation of the farm and these still suffer from contamination. To alleviate these problems, a system for cleaning, sanitizing and stimulating the udder or teats of milk-producing animals includes a hand-held washer (200). The hand-held washer has an ergonomical handle (218) and a trigger (268) that engages a valve (264) and releases sanitizing wash and compressed air when actuated. An air motor (260) within the washer engages spindles (228a-d) and powers conveyance of teat belts (224a-b) mounted on the spindles. Teat belts with flaps clean and stimulate the teat present in the top opening of the washer. Air is also injected for drying. The teat belts are effective in removing sand from the animal when animals are raised in a sandy bedding environment and are advantageously durable. Methods of using the washer for preparing the animals are also disclosed.
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