4 Benefits to Using an Internal Teat Sealant
Did you know that during a cow’s dry period, there’s up to 10x higher risk of new intramammary infections (IMI) compared to the IMI rate during lactation? That’s why drying off dairy cattle is an important process that maintains udder health throughout a cow’s lactation cycle. In this article, we’ll talk about the role internal teat sealants play in this process and the several benefits that come with using them in your herd.What are Teat Sealants for Cows?
Teat sealants serve as barriers between the cow’s udder and the outside environment. Internal sealants are usually pastes that get injected into each teat and they block bacteria from entering the udder during the dry period and at calving. On the outside, external sealants are used more for additional protection after the drying off process. Instead of injections, external sealants are applied by dipping each teat into the formula that dries like a thin film on the animal.Why is Teat Sealing Important?
After drying off, cows experience physiological changes and have more exposure to bacteria because their keratin plug (a natural defense against infection), hasn’t completely developed in each quarter. Like nutrition, disease prevention is equally important for long-term health and optimal production and performance. If the cow’s body can’t naturally defend itself, producers need other solutions to sealing the teat canals.Here are 4 major benefits to using internal teat sealants.
- Benefit #1: Reduce the Risk of Infection
Internal teat sealants can reduce the risk of developing an IMI by more than 70%. And it’s not just about the current dry period – what happens in this period can open the door to future infections that carry over into lactation. So you’re not just protecting the animal, you’re protecting yourself from possible production losses. - Benefit #2: Prevent Mastitis
Mastitis is a costly infectious disease that impacts the mammary gland and often requires antibiotic treatment. The beginning of the dry period is when a cow is most susceptible to new mastitis infections. However, it can take a few days to produce the keratin plug and naturally create a barrier for infection in the teat. Sealants prevent mastitis because they create that missing natural barrier immediately. - Benefit #3: Avoid Antibiotics
By avoiding disease, you’re also avoiding the need for antibiotics – many of which now require a prescription under GFI #263. For mastitis alone, cows might require injections of penicillin, tetracycline or others depending on the veterinarian’s directions. - Benefit #4: Impact the Success of the Next Lactation
Sealing the teats and protecting the cow from infection means the udder has a chance to heal. By the time she calves and begins lactation, that rest period should give her a stronger ability to produce peak milk yields at a higher quality – ultimately increasing your milk check.
Get Affordable Protection from Durvet
On Sale through Sept 30, 2023!
To help prevent infection throughout the dry period, try U-Seal Non-Antibiotic Dry Cow Intramammary Teat Sealant Device from Durvet. This antibiotic-free paste creates a malleable barrier in the teat canal to prevent bacteria from entering, which results in a reduction of cases of clinical mastitis for the entire dry period. Not only is U-Seal effective, it’s highly affordable compared to major brands. Try it and compare for yourself!Similar to the cow’s keratin plug, internal teat sealants serve the same functions by:
- forming an effective seal
- persisting throughout the dry period
- stripping out easily
- being insoluble to milk and harmless to calves
U-Seal is easy to use. After the last milking at dry-off, clean and disinfect teats with an alcohol swab before you infuse the entire contents of one U-Seal syringe into each quarter. To remove, hand-strip the sealant out of each quarter before milking fresh cows. Always read product label instructions for proper application and removal.
COMING SOON: Durvet’s U-Seal will be replaced with Udder Seal – a NEW version of this product with the same formula! Watch for the release of Udder Seal on our website.
