Mastitis Control Using a Unique Teat CoatingMastitis costs the average U.S. dairy farmer approximately $180 per cow annually in lost milk production, cost of antibiotic treatment, and discarded milk. Unfortunately, the disease is obvious only in the clinical form. Subclinical mastitis is about 15 to 40 times more prevalent and accounts for approximately 70% of all economic losses because of reduced milk yield. Many teat germicide products are available but most are not completely effective due to a lack of germicidal persistence throughout the intermilking period. The goal of this project is to develop a combination teat dip and barrier product which provides residual protection to the teat during the intermilking period. We will incorporate a germicidal agent into the matrix of a patented thin film technology. These thin film coatings are applied as a fast drying (<15 seconds) liquid solution that forms a membrane-like covering directly on the skin. Previous results have shown that a variety of germicidal agents can be incorporated into coating formulations and released from the dried coatings over extended periods of time. The technical objectives of the project are to optimize coating formulations and to evaluate this optimized material for antimicrobial release both in vitro and in an excised teat model.
Biomedical
Development Corporation
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Suite #200
San Antonio,
TX 78216
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bdc@biodevcorp.com