This season, we introduced sedation for heifer teat sealing on-farm in Cambridge, Waikato. Initially implemented to improve health and safety, we quickly discovered additional benefits including cleaner procedures, calmer stock, and improved efficiency.
If you’re planning your heifer teat sealing programme in New Zealand, here are some practical insights from our experience.
We used an intramuscular injection of Xylazine, ideally administered while heifers were in the race before entering the shed.
For best results:
Within minutes, most heifers:
This resulted in a much smoother and more controlled teat sealing process.
One of the biggest advantages was improved hygiene during teat sealing.
Because sedated heifers were calmer:
This significantly reduced:
On several occasions, we were able to complete the entire job without any defecation in the shed—a major win for efficiency and infection control.
Sedation made a noticeable difference to animal behaviour and staff safety.
We observed:
Heifers:
While some drowsier animals were slightly slower to row up tightly, this was easily managed with gentle encouragement and did not impact workflow.
Importantly, sedation gave us confidence to:
Sedation cost approximately $2 per heifer this season, but we found the benefits largely offset the expense.
Efficiency gains included:
Overall, sedation contributed to a more streamlined and productive process.
After a full season, sedation has proven to be a valuable tool for teat sealing heifers.
Key benefits:
While every farm system is different, our experience in Waikato was overwhelmingly positive.
If you're planning your next teat sealing programme, we recommend discussing sedation options with your local veterinarian to determine what’s best for your herd.
