Effects of Teat Dipping on Intramammary Infections by Staphylococci other than Staphylococcus aureus

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Abstract
Effects on intramammary infections in herds (1) either not teat dipping or postmilking teat dipping with either (2) linear dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, (3) chlorhexidine, or (4) iodophor containing products were determined. Duplicate quarter foremilk samples were collected once from all lactating cows in 16 herds, four for each practice. Mean percentage of quarters infected with Staphylococcus spp. other than S. aureus was 11.0 in herds not teat dipping and 7.2 in herds teat dipping. Prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. intramammary infections in herds teat dipping with linear dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid was comparable to herds not teat dipping and greater than in herds using chlorhexidine and iodophor. The predominant Staphylococcus spp. in herds not teat dipping was S. epidermidis (37.1%). S. hyicus constituted 48.5% of total Staphylococcus spp. intramammary infections in herds teat dipping and 12.4% in herds not teat dipping. Differences were not observed among SCC for quarters infected with different Staphylococcus spp. Application of germicidal teat dips appeared to have selectively altered both prevalence and distribution of Staphylococcus spp. intramammary infections.