Clinical and Economic Effects of an Internal Teat Sealant at Dry-off on the Incidence of Clinical Mastitis in Early Lactation

Abstract

Twelve commercial dairies in Quebec, Canada, evaluated the clinical and economic effects of using an internal teat sealant (ITS; Orbeseal®) combined with standard intramammary antibiotic dry-cow treatment on the incidence of clinical mastitis in early lactation. A total of 1,334 Holstein cows were randomly assigned to treatment of all four quarters with an antibiotic dry cow treatment (ADCT) alone or with antibiotic treatment and an internal teat sealant (ADCT+ITS) at dry-off. The incidence rate of clinical mastitis per 100 cow-days at risk during the first 105 days-in-milk was 22% lower (relative risk= 0. 78; 95% confidence interval 0.61 to 1.01) for theADCT+ITS group than for theADCT group. The daily probability of experiencing clinical mastitis, starting at calving, was reduced by 24% for the ADCT+ITS group. The net benefit, based on lost milk production associated with clinical mastitis, was approximately $20 Canadian (CDN) per cow for theADCT+ITS group due to the lower incidence of clinical mastitis, particularly soon after calving.