To seal or not to seal? Introducing UdderLife™ OptiShield™ Teat Sealant By Suzanne Lois, Herd Care Line Advisor
It is well understood that mastitis has a large economic impact on a dairy producer’s bottom line. Research indicates the direct and indirect costs, which include veterinary, discarded milk, extra labor, cow mortality, repeat cases and milk losses, amount to $1.7 - $2 billion per year.1 Preventive protocols are the best option to curb 50-60% of all new cases that occur during the dry period.2 Dry cow antibiotic therapy has been the most widely used method until recently. With the movement to reduce antibiotic use and regulations preventing organic dairy farms to use dry cow antibiotic therapy, teat sealants have been added to protocols or even used exclusively.
Why add a teat sealant to a dry cow antibiotic therapy? Understanding the three physical barriers of a cow’s mammary system along with the three stages of the dry period can help producers make a fact-based decision on whether to add a teat sealant to a dry cow protocol. The streak canal, teat sphincter and keratin plug (shown at right) make up the three physical barriers that block or absorb bacteria that may penetrate a cow’s mammary system. The streak canal is the primary line of defense. The streak canal has its own built-in defense mechanisms, such as physical closing of the 14
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HORIZONS
Streak Canal Teat Sphincter
Keratin Plug
