Mastitis | Administering dry cow treatements

Treatment options

It is important to discuss the best options for your herd with your vet. Preparing for drying off often begins months in advance. Options for protection include antibiotic Dry Cow Therapy (DCT) and/or Internal Teat Sealants (ITS). DCT is used to treat existing infections that have not been cured during lactation and to reduce the number of new infections that may occur during the dry period. ITS are used to protect uninfected quarters during the dry period and at calving and to extend protection provided by DCT. It’s important to only use antibiotic DCT at the cow’s last milking for the lactation.

Risks and implications when administering treatments

Injury while administering DCT or ITS is common. It is important to take your time, use trained staff and have sufficient help. Always administer the treatments as recommended.
Resistance risk - Consult with your vet about selective DCT treatments for your cows according to their individual mastitis history, teat health and individual cell counts. This will be discussed during your annual dry cow consult. Not using antibiotic DCT on cows which are going to be culled within the next 2-3 months is also an important consideration.
Antibiotic residues in milk and meat (including calves) are a risk from cows which are culled during the dry period or calve earlier than expected. The specified minimum dry periods and withholding periods for each product after calving must be observed.
Harmful bacteria can enter the teat end due to dirty conditions during dry off, causing mastitis. Hygiene should be priority.
A marking system should be used that allows easy recognition of dry cows in case they re-join the milking herd in error.

Good hygiene is essential

Teats should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected using teat wipes and intramammary tubes inserted carefully to avoid introducing bacteria into the teat canal. If not done correctly and cleanly there is a risk of introducing environmental bacteria into the teat, potentially causing severe mastitis.

6 steps for administering dry cow treatments

Step 1

Wear clean gloves at all times. Replace gloves regularly or wash in hot water and detergent and dry thoroughly once dirty.

Step 2

Clean only one teat at a time to avoid cross-contamination. Ensure teat end is wiped with a clean part of the teat wipe each time it is wiped. Aim for at least 2 teat wipes per teat. Keep wiping until teat wipe comes away clean.

Step 3

Administer treatment into clean teat, being careful not to let the syringe touch anything after un-capping. Insert nozzle gently and administer as recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: It is not necessary to administer antibiotic DCT to individual quarters that were dried off during lactation (i.e. where cows have been milked as ‘3 titters’) or when cows have not been milked regularly beforehand.

Step 4

Spray teats thoroughly with freshly made teat spray immediately after finishing all four teats, focus on good coverage.

Step 5

Mark dry cows well. Use distinctive markings so they are easy to identify for all staff members and reduce the risk of re-entering the milking herd.

Step 6

Keep accurate records, including dry-off date, treatments given, and any abnormalities that could affect them at calving i.e. blind quarters or teat damage.

Post dry-off management

Graze cows in dry, clean paddocks somewhere easy to access if possible. A clean, low stress environment helps protect the udder while the teat canal seals, supporting better udder health for the next lactation. Close monitoring is essential, particularly in the first week when they’re most at risk of new infections. Look for signs of mastitis and treat any issues quickly as per your vets’ recommendations.

A practical approach for post dry off management

Daily visual checks

For the first week after drying off, observe cows in the paddock every day. Look for swollen quarters or cows that are slow, off their feed, or showing signs of sickness. Avoid bringing cows near the dairy unless you need to check them, as this can cause them to start running milk.

Manual checks

If you spot a swollen quarter, bring that cow in and check the udder by hand. Strip the suspect quarter only—don’t strip normal quarters. The secretion may look different from milk (thicker or stringy). If it looks suspicious, treat it as clinical mastitis.

Fortnightly checks

Run all cows through the farm dairy for a manual udder check every 14 days for the first 4–6 weeks of the dry period. Feel for lumps or heat, but don’t manipulate or squeeze teats unless you suspect mastitis. These checks are especially important for cows that didn’t get antibiotic dry cow treatment at dry off.

Treat clinical cases

If you find clinical mastitis, strip out the affected quarter completely and treat with a lactating cow antibiotic, even if the quarter was previously treated at dry off. Always record treatment details and consult your vet for advice on treatment options and withholding periods.

Extra tip: After any manual checks, spray teats with teat spray to reduce infection risk. Regular teat spraying (especially in the last month before calving) helps lower the risk of new infections.

If you see any cows that are very sick or deteriorate quickly, consult with your vet straight away.

Administering dry cow treatments