[Endoscopic assessment of the mucosal tolerance of a new papillary duct bougie compared with conventional mammary cannulas].

In this study on healthy, milking cows three per group a temporary drying off for five days, using two types of conventional teat bougies (group A, B), one type of a teat canula (group C) and one type of a novel wax-bougie, developed by Dr. Th. Geishauser (group D) was performed. As a control, three cows were dried off without using any teat bougies (group E). Before drying off the udder quarters, the condition of the mucosa in the teat papillary lactiferous sinus was documented by means of endoscopy. After five days, lactation was started and endoscopy was performed again. Endoscopical pictures and video tapes were evaluated for existence of inflammatory-proliferating reactions on the mucosa of the papillary lactiferous sinus. Comparison of the five groups with statistical methods (Fisher test) showed significant (P < 0.001) effects: all udder quarters, dried off temporarily by using conventional teat bougies and teat canulas (groups A, B, C) showed more or less severe alterations in the mucosa of the papillary lactiferous sinus, whereas in cows, treated with the novel wax bougie (group D) as well as in cows of the control group (E) there were no alterations detectable at all.