Internal teat sealants can benefit both cows and first-calf heifers, reducing risk of clinical mastitis in the next lactation.
Preparing cows for a successful lactation doesn’t start at freshening; it starts at the dry period.
“More than half of clinical mastitis cases can be traced back to the dry period,”1,2 shared Linda Tikofsky, D.V.M., Boehringer Ingelheim. “Anytime a cow gets mastitis, she won’t reach production potential for that lactation and will always be a little behind the curve.”
Minimizing mastitis is fundamental to promoting udder health and the production of high-quality milk. In addition to existing dry cow protocols, an internal teat sealant is one of the most effective tools when protecting against mastitis-causing pathogens and preventing new infections.
Teat sealants protect more than your bottom line
“If we have a case of fresh cow mastitis in that first 30 days, we’re looking at about a $400 loss,” said Dr. Tikofsky.3 “But if we can prevent mastitis early in the lactation, our cows are going to be healthy and more likely to meet their maximum potential.”
Cows can naturally create keratin plugs and seal off teat ends post dry-off to protect their udder from bacteria. But sometimes the plug formation is delayed. In fact, around 23% of cows won’t form a keratin plug within the first six weeks of dry-off, while some cows never form a natural plug at all.4 To simulate the keratin plug, an internal teat sealant can provide an immediate barrier against bacteria while cows work to create their own protection and reduce risk of infection if they don’t.
“A properly applied teat sealant can protect cows throughout the entire dry period,” asserted Dr. Tikofsky. “With the added protection against infection, the cow’s udder is going to have an easier time involuting and preparing for the next lactation.”
Dr. Tikofsky stressed that the use of teat sealants is not just for seasoned cows. Studies show the use of internal teat sealants on first-calf heifers, 35 or 75 days prior to freshening, had a positive impact on somatic cell counts at calving.5
“Alongside lower rates of clinical or subclinical mastitis, farms can also see a premium tagged on to lower somatic cell count milk,” shared Dr. Tikofsky. “And the addition of a teat sealant to a dry-off or first-calf-heifer protocol can help farmers attain higher quality milk.”
Application and removal
“To really get the bang for your buck, we need to make sure we’re applying internal teat sealants hygienically and correctly,” said Dr. Tikofsky. Cleaning teat ends with an alcohol swab and applying product in accordance with the label will help prevent new introduction of bacteria.
Dr. Tikofsky also encourages attention to detail when removing sealant at freshening. “I like to promote stripping the teat at least 10 to 12 times when removing the product,” she stated. “Or, my favorite mantra is to strip until you don’t see blue anymore.” To help distinguish from milk and mastitis, a blue-colored teat sealant makes for easy identification, and can help employees have success when removing product at freshening.
References:
1 Bradley AJ, Green MJ. A study of the incidence and significance of intramammary enterobacterial infections acquired during the dry period. J Dairy Sci 2000;83(9):1957–1965.
2 Smith KL, Todhunter DA, Schoenberger PS. Environmental mastitis: cause, prevalence, prevention. J Dairy Sci 1985;68(6):1531–1533.
3 Rollin E, Dhuyvetter KC, Overton MW. Cost of clinical mastitis in the first 30 days of lactation: an economic modeling tool. Prev Vet Med 2015;122(3):257–264.
4 Freu G, Tomazi T, Monteiro CP, et al. Internal teat sealant administered at drying off reduces intramammary infections during the dry and early lactation periods of dairy cows. Animals 2020;10(9):1522.
5 Larsen LR, Baker PH, Enger KM, et al. Administration of internal teat sealant in primigravid dairy heifers at different times of gestation to prevent intramammary infections at calving. Dairy Sci 2021;104(12):12273–12284.
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