Dry cow therapy can have a large impact on milk quality. The purpose of dry cow therapy is to cure existing infections and to prevent new infections during the dry period and around calving time.
The majority of cows on most NZ dairy farms do not have an infection at drying off so the main purpose of dry cow therapy is shifting from cure to prevention. Research has demonstrated that internal teat sealants are at least as effective as antibiotic dry cow therapy at preventing new dry period mastitis infections. The blanket use of antibiotic dry cow therapy, in which all cows in a herd are treated with antibiotic dry cow therapy regardless of their infection status, is therefore becoming difficult to justify. A new strategy, called targeted antibiotic dry cow therapy, has emerged, where antibiotic dry cow therapy is used only in cows with evidence of subclinical infection. Research has shown it to be at least as effective as blanket antibiotic dry cow therapy when applied correctly.
Teatseal, a non-antibiotic, internal teat sealant that forms a physical barrier immediately on insertion, blocking the entry of bacteria into the udder throughout the dry period. Teatseal is the only sealant that is proven to last for at least 20 weeks.
How can I change to target antibiotic dry cow therapy on my farm?
The best way is to review your mastitis data with your vet at your milk quality consultation. Your vet will tell you how to implement targeted antibiotic dry cow therapy, if is appropriate for your farm.
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