Is teat sealant worth it ?

[SolwayFarmer]

This has been a really interesting read. I’ve not been milking long but so far we’ve dried off everything with antibiotics and a sealant (orbeseal). After reading this and watching the video we’ve not been pinching the top of the teat when using the sealant but it seems to work on most of our cows. We’ve not had many leak their milk after drying off. Our cell count runs at about 45. Never had a payment average over 100. Only 5 cows out of 90 with scc over 250.
So my dilemma is do I continue as is with dry cow therapy and sealant on everything knowing it’s working well. Or do I reduce ab and just use sealant.
When we do get a case is mastitis it’s generally really bad. Lots of our cows have scc around 10/15 and I wondered if there’s a situation where a very low scc should also receive ab. I think the Crichton research centre use ab on very low scc cows. Currently no pressure from milk buyer to use selective dry cow

 

[Farmer Keith]

This has been a really interesting read. I’ve not been milking long but so far we’ve dried off everything with antibiotics and a sealant (orbeseal). After reading this and watching the video we’ve not been pinching the top of the teat when using the sealant but it seems to work on most of our cows. We’ve not had many leak their milk after drying off. Our cell count runs at about 45. Never had a payment average over 100. Only 5 cows out of 90 with scc over 250.
So my dilemma is do I continue as is with dry cow therapy and sealant on everything knowing it’s working well. Or do I reduce ab and just use sealant.
When we do get a case is mastitis it’s generally really bad. Lots of our cows have scc around 10/15 and I wondered if there’s a situation where a very low scc should also receive ab. I think the Crichton research centre use ab on very low scc cows. Currently no pressure from milk buyer to use selective dry cow

Big savings to be had there with selective dry cow, looks like you really only need to be using AB on 10% of your cows, maybe less.

I have read about similar research but I’m not sure. My cows SCC’s like yours are made up of 80% of the cows sub 20 and then a group between 20 and 200 with 7 over 200 at the moment. Tank average 70. Selective works perfectly here even on super low SCC cows. I don’t think the herd of cows averaging 70 where they’re all between 50 and 90 exists In the real world.

 

[More to life]

Is that all dairy cows or just certain breeds?

i've experience with holsteins and Jerseys so wouldn't want to comment on other breeds

 

[Whitewalker]

This has been a really interesting read. I’ve not been milking long but so far we’ve dried off everything with antibiotics and a sealant (orbeseal). After reading this and watching the video we’ve not been pinching the top of the teat when using the sealant but it seems to work on most of our cows. We’ve not had many leak their milk after drying off. Our cell count runs at about 45. Never had a payment average over 100. Only 5 cows out of 90 with scc over 250.
So my dilemma is do I continue as is with dry cow therapy and sealant on everything knowing it’s working well. Or do I reduce ab and just use sealant.
When we do get a case is mastitis it’s generally really bad. Lots of our cows have scc around 10/15 and I wondered if there’s a situation where a very low scc should also receive ab. I think the Crichton research centre use ab on very low scc cows. Currently no pressure from milk buyer to use selective dry cow

Dip your toe and see , the sky didn’t fall in when we started using selective dc therapy

 

[coomoo]

This has been a really interesting read. I’ve not been milking long but so far we’ve dried off everything with antibiotics and a sealant (orbeseal). After reading this and watching the video we’ve not been pinching the top of the teat when using the sealant but it seems to work on most of our cows. We’ve not had many leak their milk after drying off. Our cell count runs at about 45. Never had a payment average over 100. Only 5 cows out of 90 with scc over 250.
So my dilemma is do I continue as is with dry cow therapy and sealant on everything knowing it’s working well. Or do I reduce ab and just use sealant.
When we do get a case is mastitis it’s generally really bad. Lots of our cows have scc around 10/15 and I wondered if there’s a situation where a very low scc should also receive ab. I think the Crichton research centre use ab on very low scc cows. Currently no pressure from milk buyer to use selective dry cow

Start selective your vet should of advised on this. As for Crichton they’ll be selective with milk buyer.

 

[Fedupfarmer]

Iv stopped using it, only effect I'm finding is no vet bill for it. Honestly no Scc difference, better udder health if any thing.

Same here not used it for two years ssc 125

 

[jerseycowsman]

This has been a really interesting read. I’ve not been milking long but so far we’ve dried off everything with antibiotics and a sealant (orbeseal). After reading this and watching the video we’ve not been pinching the top of the teat when using the sealant but it seems to work on most of our cows. We’ve not had many leak their milk after drying off. Our cell count runs at about 45. Never had a payment average over 100. Only 5 cows out of 90 with scc over 250.
So my dilemma is do I continue as is with dry cow therapy and sealant on everything knowing it’s working well. Or do I reduce ab and just use sealant.
When we do get a case is mastitis it’s generally really bad. Lots of our cows have scc around 10/15 and I wondered if there’s a situation where a very low scc should also receive ab. I think the Crichton research centre use ab on very low scc cows. Currently no pressure from milk buyer to use selective dry cow

How are you allowed to use blanket antibiotics? Our vets will not let us, nor farm assurance

 

[jerseycowsman]

Same here not used it for two years ssc 125

I’m keen to not use this sealant crap, it never does seal, despite what other smart alecs say on here!
What is your routine at drying off? Do you still use antibiotics on higher scc ones? Do you just stop milking lower yielders anc change diet to help dry them off or anything special like that?

 

[Fedupfarmer]

I’m keen to not use this sealant crap, it never does seal, despite what other smart alecs say on here!
What is your routine at drying off? Do you still use antibiotics on higher scc ones? Do you just stop milking lower yielders anc change diet to help dry them off or anything special like that?

No antibiotics,lower cake month before drying off just stop milking them and put them into the dry cow shed in winter or paddock in summer,nothing special to be fair.

 

[Will Blackburn]

Shall we go back to blanket ab then? the cost of not using ab over loosing a cow doesn’t stack up to me neither but feel it’s more a moral than financial obligation,

Blanket ABs have been proven to make mastitis worse in low cell count cows.

 

[lazy farmer]

No antibiotics,lower cake month before drying off just stop milking them and put them into the dry cow shed in winter or paddock in summer,nothing special to be fair.

So potentially a false economy then?

 

[Fedupfarmer]

So potentially a false economy then?

Not sure what you mean, I’m no expert just no it works here.on a side note i personally think the industry was miss sold AB for years.

 

[frederick]

I’m keen to not use this sealant crap, it never does seal, despite what other smart alecs say on here!
What is your routine at drying off? Do you still use antibiotics on higher scc ones? Do you just stop milking lower yielders anc change diet to help dry them off or anything special like that?

So you've never used it but know it doesn't work.
But I've used it seen it work, seen the science that proves it and had good results and I am wrong.

I presume you've also avoided the covid vaccine because that's crap also.

 

[lazy farmer]

Not sure what you mean, I’m no expert just no it works here.on a side note i personally think the industry was miss sold AB for years.

If your missing out on milk then…..

 

[Fedupfarmer]

If your missing out on milk then…..

Why am I missing out on milk?

 

[jerseycowsman]

So you've never used it but know it doesn't work.
But I've used it seen it work, seen the science that proves it and had good results and I am wrong.

I presume you've also avoided the covid vaccine because that's crap also.

What are you on about?
I use sealant, but it never seals properly, lots of milk on beds after they’ve been dried, so what’s the point in using it? I pinch hhe to of the teat and all that, still get leakage. Then I see a few here say they don’t use sealant at all, so I was asking how they get away with it as according to all the experts the cow will died if you don’t put something up the udder to dry her off?!
And I’m triple vaccinated thankyou very much, I believe in science, not witch craft

 

[Will Blackburn]

I don’t use sealant to prevent milk leaking, I use it to prevent infections getting in. I’ve never seen milk leaking as a failure on the part of the sealant more of a management failure.

 

[upnortheast]

Will beat me to it.
The idea is to stop infection getting in.
Sealant has worked very well here. Need to follow the rules carefully. Gloves on, wipe with 2 antibac wipes. Tube in, finish with teat dip.
Vet reports variable results on other farms, suspects lack of care

 

[Will Blackburn]

I would add, cotton wool and surgical spirit make a better job of sanitising the clean teat end.

 

[___\0/___]

I would add, cotton wool and surgical spirit make a better job of sanitising the clean teat end.

The last batch of Wipes that came in the box were a million times better than what they have sent in the past.