627. Udder infections in the ‘dry period’: V. The effect of teat disinfection at drying-off on the incidence of infections in the early dry period

Abstract

1. The effect of disinfecting the skin of the teats at drying-off on the incidence of new infection in the early dry period has been studied. After the last milking of lactation the udders of alternate cows to go dry were washed with sodium hypochlorite solution (800 p.p.m.), dried, and each teat immersed in a 5% iodine tincture for 20 sec., and then again immersed 24 hr. later.2. There was significantly (P <0·05) less new infection in cows that had teats disinfected than in control cows. This difference in infection was highly significant (P <0·01) for cows that were not infected on drying-off.3. The treatment effect was due to a highly significant (P <0·01) reduction in the incidence of infection by Staph. aureus. New infection caused by Str. uberis was not affected.