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Effectiveness of Postmilking Teat Dips

Animal Science Research Division, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

ABSTRACT

Two experimental approaches were used to estimate the relative efficacy of three germicidal preparations as postmilking teat dips. In successive trials of 17 and 7 months, chlorhexidine (.2%) and a commercial iodophor (1% available iodine) each reduced the overall new intramammary infection to 4 to 5 per hundred cows per month. Compared to the incidence among control cows, reductions due to teat dipping were 81 and 90% for staphylococci, 80 and 0% for streptococci (chiefly S. uberis), and 0% for coliforms and Pseudomonas species.

In short trials of the chlorhexidine, the iodophor, a hypochlorite (4% available chlorine), and tap water, we evaluated change in magnitude of the natural staphylococcal population recoverable from apical teat skin by swabbing. Reductions of 95, 87, and 67% were achieved with the respective germicides. Results from tap water were erratic but indicated a small reduction in microflora.

Efficacy was examined in relation to the number of cows previously dipped with the portion of dip solution during a single milking. There was no evidence of a reduction in germicidal activity through use of chlorhexidine on 22 cows, iodophor on 19 cows, or hypochlorite on 11 cows.