title: New infection rate of bovine mammary glands after application of an internal teat seal at dry-off.
abstract: The internal teat sealant OrbeSeal® (Zoetis, Berlin, Germany) is intended to prevent new intramammary infection (IMI) throughout the dry period. The aim of this field study was to determine new infection rates in udder quarters applied exclusively with the sealant at dry-off and untreated ones (control group). For that, the new infection rate of udder quarters treated with the sealant was evaluated in a split-udder design (front right and rear left udder quarters treated, the other ones untreated) in 128 cows from nine dairy farms in North Germany that were healthy in all four udder quarters (i.e. <100 000 cells/ml, bacteriologically negative). After calving, duplicate quarter milk samples were collected twice at DIM (days in milk) 5-12 and 7 d later for culture. The new infection rates for treated and untreated groups were 3·4 and 10·5%, respectively. The results showed that applying a standardised study design with very few confounders under field conditions, using internal teat sealants reduced the new infection rate on quarter level to a third of that of the control group. Thus, internal teat sealants represent a viable option for dry-off treatment of udder-healthy cows.
authors.affiliation: Faculty II, Department of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Heisterbergallee 12, 30453 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krömker
authors.affiliation: Institute for Food Quality and Food Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nils Th
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Grabowski
authors.affiliation: Faculty II, Department of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Heisterbergallee 12, 30453 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Friedrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001729:Bismuth; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D007774:Lactation; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000382:microbiology*; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D010232:Paraffin; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D010232:Paraffin; C010804:bismuth subnitrate; D001729:Bismuth