Effect of teat dipping with a germicide barrier teat dip in late gestationon intramammary infection and clinical mastitis during the first 5 days post-partum in primiparous cows

The effect of teat dipping with a barrier teat dip prior to parturition on intramammary infection (IMI) and clinical mastitis during the first 5 days post-partum was investigated in a split udder trial in 149 Holstein-Frisian heifers. Their left front and right hind quarters were dipped three rimes weekly (i.e. Monday, Wednesday and Friday) with a barrier tear dip containi ng 0.1% polyvidon iodine from day 260 of gestation until parturition. The o pposite quarters (right front and left hind quarter) served as untreated co ntrol. Bacteria were isolated from 52.2% of quarter milk samples collected immediately after parturition prior to first machine milking. Staphylococcu s aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were predominantly foun d in the samples (29.2 and 35.6% of the positive samples, respectively). At parturition 6.7% of the heifers showed signs of clinical mastitis and anot her 27.5% developed signs of clinical mastitis during the first: five days of lactation. No significant differences were found between treated and con trol quarters regarding IMI and incidence of clinical mastitis. Teat dippin g Drier to parturition in primigravid dairy heifers did not improve udder h ealth in this trial.