Mastitis, a bacterial infection of the mammary glands, can be a significant problem for cow farmers. Up to now they have treated cows by dipping their infected teats into an antibacterial solution – but that can contaminate milk, so any that is produced by the affected cows must be discarded for a time.
Norman Williamson, an expert on bovine health at Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand, has an answer, which he calls an "udder plugger".
Bacteria are usually prevented from entering teats by a plug made of the protein keratin, he explains. Milking, and modern milking machines in particular, can suck out this plug and allow the bacteria in.
Williamson's solution is simply to plug the teat again using keratin mixed with fat that can then be injected or rolled into a plug-shape and pushed in by hand. He has tested the idea on a number of cows and found that it does not irritate the teat. "The way now appears clear to further test the product in dairy cows," he says.
Read the full cow udder plugger patent application.
Justin Mullins, New Scientist consultant