Practical Facts about Teatsealing Heifers:

• Trial work shows that using Teatseal in heifers pre-calving reduces subclinical mastitis at calving by 65% and clinical mastitis in early lactation by 50% 
• There are some potential risks when using Teatseal in heifers pre-calving that you need to know. 
  
• Teatseal will not affect calves if they suckle. 
  

 

Trial work shows that using Teatseal in heifers pre-calving reduces: 

• Subclinical mastitis at calving by 65% 
  
• Clinical mastitis in early lactation by 50% 
  If you are not getting these reductions, then Teatseal may not be economic in your herd and you need to speak to your vet about when the clinical mastitis cases are occurring in your heifers and what bacteria are causing clinical mastitis in your herd. 

There are some potential risks when using Teatseal in heifers pre-calving that you need to be aware of. 
There is a minor risk if a quarter has clinical mastitis (at the time of infusion) and the technicians did not detect it (e.g.. the quarter was not very swollen). If this has occurred, the cow will present with signs of clinical mastitis a day or so later and will need to be treated as outlined below. 
If the technicians find a quarter with suspected clinical mastitis, they WILL NOT TREAT IT WITH TEATSEAL. They will inform you and you can decide what you want to treat that heifer/ quarter with. 

 

We recommend: 

Treating clinical mastitis cases with lactating cow antibiotics (e.g. Orbenin LA every 48hr x 3) ± an injectable antibiotic (e.g. Mamyzin 5g every 24hrs x 3). 

BE AWARE of the with-holding periods (WHPs) of these products for bobby calves. The meat WHP is the number of days a bobby calf needs to be kept on-farm and out of the food chain. After administration of antibiotics, treated heifers must remain out of the VAT and cannot supply BOBBY MILK for a full 10 milkings after calving. 

Strip the heifer daily if possible (the same way as you would a cow with clinical mastitis). 
There is a minor risk of clinical mastitis developing in a quarter after infusion of Teatsealâ„¢. 
Check the heifers (in the paddock is fine) for a couple of days after infusion and try not to truck / stress them unnecessarily. 

 

If you see a swollen quarter after infusion: 

• Bring the heifer into the shed and examine her 
  
• If she is sick, call your vet ASAP 
  
• Strip out the swollen quarter 
  
• Collect a milk sample before treatment (to determine what the bacteria is / why this quarter developed clinical mastitis) 
  
• Treat as outlined above and report to your vet 
  

 

Teatseal will not affect calves when they suckle:

If you are unsure of whether a calf has had a feed, tube-feed with colostrum. 
After calving, Teatseal flecks (strips of white waxy material) can be in the milk for up to 10 days. To distinguish between clinical mastitis clots and Teatseal flecks, rub the clots/flecks between your fingers – mastitis clots will disintegrate, whereas Teatseal flecks will not. 
Remember Teatseal  is not a magic bullet! It is one mastitis management tool we use to reduce the risk of environmental clinical mastitis in heifers at calving.