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• 2002 February
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• Teatseal

Teatseal

Teatseal is a new non antibiotic product which is infused into the teat at drying off. It is composed of Bismuth in a paraffin base and sits in the teat canal, remaining there without hardening until it is removed by suckling or manually stripping the quarter. It does not have any curative affect on infected quarters.

If it doesn't cure infected quarters, why is it of benefit?

We know that the ability of the teat to form a solid plug after drying off is extremely important in preventing infection during the dry period. The plug acts as a physical barrier to bacteria. The vast majority of quarters that become infected during the dry period are quarters that fail to form an effective plug. Some of these infections are obvious as swollen quarters during the dry period, but many do not become obvious until after the cow calves. Typically, 50% of quarters are still "open" seven days after drying off and 5% never close.

How does the preventive effect of Teatseal compare with that of DCT?

Overseas studies (United Kingdom and New Zealand), have shown that Teatseal is better than no treatment and as effective as antibiotic DCT, in preventing new infections in the dry period. It is likely that for the most part these results will be seen here. There are however, differences between our systems that suggest that we need to closely monitor the results and determine what factors are important for success. Examples of the differences are, greater production level at drying off Compared to NZ and a greater prevalence of E. Coli bacteria in UK herds.

How can I find out more about the use of Teat seal?

Due to the potential importance of this product in a market continuing to demand "clean" product and the sometimes complex factors in deciding if it should be used in an individual herd, it is best to discuss your situation with one of our vets.