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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #107777
Title: EVALUATION OF 1.6% PHENOL/PHENATE SYSTEM AS A PREMILKING AND POSTMILKING TEAT DIP IN PREVENTING NEW INTRAMAMMARY INFECTIONS IN DAIRY CATTLE

Author
item PETERS, R - U MD COLLEGE PARK MD
item KOMARAGIRI, S - U MD COLLEGE PARK MD
item PAAPE, MAX
item DOUGLASS, L - U MD COLLEGE PARK MD

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/12/2000
Publication Date: 8/1/2000
Citation: Peters, R.R., Komaragiri, S., Paape, M.J., Douglass, L.W. 2000. Evaluation of 1.6% phenol/phenate system as a premilking and postmilking teat dip in preventing new intramammary infections in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 83(8):1750-1757.

Interpretive Summary: Iodine teat dips are used before and after milking. However, such teat dips have been reported to increase iodine concentrations in milk, which present a health risk to consumers of such milk. Researchers at Beltsville tested a phenol based teat dip as an alternative to iodine. Phenol is the main active ingredients in mouth washes, soaps and various disinfectants that have been widely available to consumers since 1962. When compared to conventional iodine based teat dips the phenolic teat dips were shown to be as efficacious in preventing intramammary infections in dairy cows. The number of new intramammary infections caused by mastitis pathogens were similar for both types of teat dips. Thus, dairymen will have available a product that will be safe for consumers and at the same time effective in reducing infections in lactating dairy cows.

Technical Abstract: The objectives of the study were to: 1) determine the concentration of phenol/phenate to be used in the teat dip, 2) compare the number of new intramammary infections in phenol/phenate and iodine treated cows, and 3) compare the number of clinical mastitis cases in both treatments. A field study was conducted at Beltsville (n = 185) and Clarksville (n = 100) dairy yherds using split herd design. Teat dips were used premilking and postmilking for 12 months. Number of new intramammary infections for the Beltsville herd in iodine and phenol/phenate teat dipped cows were: 29 and 35 for major pathogens, and 81 and 72 for minor pathogens. For the Clarksville herd, the number of new intramammary infections in iodine and phenol/phenate teat dipped cows was 9 and 10 for major pathogens and 50 and 60 for minor pathogens. Rates of intramammary infections per quarter day per lactation were also calculated. Treatment differences were not significant for either herd or when herd data were combined. The number o clinical mastitis cases per 100 cows per month in animals teat dipped with iodine and phenol/phenate was: Beltsville, 1.54 and 1.72, respectively, and Clarksville, 0.97 and 0.90, respectively. The incidence of new intramammary infections and clinical mastitis was similar in both treatments.