Evaluation of Teat Coverage Persistency and Teat Health for Four New Prototype Dry Period Persistent Barrier Teat Dips

Mastitis research has shown that 40–50% of intramammary infections (IMI) are contracted during the dry or non-lactating period with the greatest percentages of these occurring during the first and last two weeks of the dry period. The ability to develop and apply external persistent barrier teat dip products (like a liquid bandage) that can persist for these 1 week periods could decrease IMI, thus improving animal health and performance, and product quality and safety. The objective of this study was to evaluate 4 new prototype faster drying persistent barrier dry cow teat dips, with particular interest and comparisons of dip persistency in providing teat end protection, and overall teat end and skin health. Dipping with the new fast drying dip (A, B, C, D) resulted in similar excellent teat end and skin health. Overall persistency was lower (only 5-35% teats protected for 3days), especially compared to commercial T-Hexx Dry. The stranding and stringing of these dips upon drying created problems with the dip sticking to legs and/ or being pulled off easier. Dip C did not show this and had higher persistency @ day 2, but all dips showed inferior persistency @ day 3 (similar to other fast dry dip trials) compared to commercially available T-Hexx Dry teat dip product. Overall, the new experimental dips were inferior to the commercial T-Hexx Dry product!Also, every future trial should have commercial T-Hexx Dry incorporated into it so direct comparisons within cow and trial can be made