The Next Generation
Technical Information
What is Acidified Sodium Chlorite (ASC)?
Acidified Sodium Chlorite (ASC), the primary germicide in ABS udder care products, is an incredibly effective broad-spectrum, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, fungicidial and virucidal agent. ASC works better that iodine when organic materials such as milk, mud or manure increase pH on the skin. Iodine is negatively affected by these pH increases and loses killing ability with the organic material present.
Lab Tests
Extensive laboratory tests demonstrate the superior killing ability of Valiant teat dips. Scientists use lab tests to perfect formulations prior to testing in University herds. These tests also help them evaluate characteristics that are difficult to measure using live animals.
Lab tests are limited in that they cannot demonstrate a product 's ability to prevent infections. However, they are quite useful in determining speed and spectrum of kill, effects of organic matter, and in the case of Valiant teat dips, duration of effective killing ability after activation.
AOAC Germicidal and Detergent Sanitizing Tests
Standardized tests developed by the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) reveal a germicide's ability to kill specific organisms on non-porous surfaces.
Researchers challenge germicides with millions of bacteria. Upon neutralizing germicidal action after 15 seconds, they determine the reduction in bacterial numbers, expressed in logs.
Valiant Germicidal Efficay Testing
AOAC Sanitizing Efficacy ResultsContagious Mastitis Causing Organisms
10% Organic Challenge 15 Seconds Valiant Barrier
AOAC Sanitizing Efficacy ResultsEnvironmental Mastitis Causing Organisms
10% Organic Challenge 15 Seconds Valiant Barrier
Some germicides are inactivated by organic matter. Valiant teat dips, tested 14 days after activation, performed equally as well with and without a 10% milk load. With AOAC testing methods, germicides must achieve at least a 5-log reduction in 30 seconds to be considered effective. The Valiant germicide provided complete kill in 15 seconds.
Porcine Skin Test
To more accurately evaluate and microbial activity on a porous surface, researchers test germicides on porcine skin tissue. Skin cracks and crevices challenge germicidal performance. Consequently, kill rates on skin are lower than on non-porous surfaces.
Porcine skin closely resembles teat skin characteristics. Because it can be sterilized, it eliminates contamination problems that arise with excised teat tests.
Valiant Barrier Efficacy on Porcine Skin
As compared to a previously tested chlorine dioxide product, Valiant Barrier outperforms UDDERgold® Plus by 1.0 to over 3.5 logs in porcine skin tests. (As a point of reference, a log reduction of 3 is 10 times more than a log reduction of 2.) Note that UD- DERgold® Plus was tested one hour after activation while Valiant Barrier was two weeks post activation.
Dried Barrier Test
In addition to the immediate killing action of chlorine dioxide and the physical protection afforded by the dried barrier, Valiant Barrier's residual germicide continues to destroy mastitis-causing organisms long after teats are dipped.
To test the killing ability of linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LAS), the residual germicide found in all Valiant teat dips, researchers applied agar plates seeded with bacteria to the dried film of Valiant Barrier. Log reductions were determined after a 15-second exposure.
Residual Germicide Efficacy
Valiant Barrier achieved superior reductions against both organisms tested. Therefore, a high level of antimicrobial activity is still present in the dried f ilm of Valiant Barrier teat dip.The residual germicide in Valiant teat dips kills bacteria even after the dip is dry. The graph demonstrates bacterial reductions after exposure of just 15 seconds to the dried film of Valiant Barrier. A 3-log reduction is the same as 99.9% kill.
University Herd Studies
Each Valiant teat dip has been tested thoroughly in University herds. Scientists tested Valiant Barrier and Valiant Pre/Post for effectiveness against contagious and environmental pathogens. Since pre-dips are designed to help prevent environmental mastitis infections, Streptococcus uberis, an environmental bacteria, was used in both studies for Valiant Pre. Testing for contagious mastitis efficacy followed National Mastitis Council (NMC) Experimental Challenge protocol. In the absence of an NMC Experimental Challenge for environmental organisms, testing for environmental mastitis efficacy followed the NMC protocol for contagious Experimental Challenge as modified by Dr. Dave Gallon, Cornell University.
What is an Experimental Challenge Study?
NMC protocol for Experimental Challenge studies call for challenging cows' teats with specific mastitiscausing organisms. One-half of all teats are dipped with teat dip, the others are not dipped. Undipped teats serve as the control group. Weekly culturing detects the number of infections that occur in dipped versus undipped teats. Refer to the enclosed reports for specific information relating to the graphs below.
Valiant Testing Protocols
Experimental Challenge Contagious Bacteria: A set number of lactating dairy cows are determined free from infection prior to starting the multiple week test. Following milking, all four teats of all test animals are submersed in a suspension of Stapriy/ococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae bacteria. Two teats are then dipped in the test product, the other teats are not dipped. Weekly quarter culturing identifies new infections during the test period.
Experimental Challenge Environmental Bacteria: A set number of lactating dairy cows are determined free from infection prior to starting the multiple week test.
For Pre-Dip Testing: one hour before milking, all four teats of all test animals are submersed in a suspension of Streptococcus uberis bacteria. At milking, two teats are pre-dipped with the test product, the other teats are not pre-dipped.
For Post-Dip Testing: after milking, two teats are post-dipped with the test product and the other two are not. One hour before milking, all four teats are submersed in a suspension of Streptococcus uberis bacteria. Weekly quarter culturing identif ies new infections during the test period.
Valiant Barrier vs. No Post-Dipping
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
Valiant Pre/Post vs. No Post-Dipping
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
Valiant Pre vs. No Pre-Dipping
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
% Reduction of New Contagious IMI*,
Resulting From the Use of Valiant,
Experimental Challenge; 60 cows, 9 weeks.
Investigator: Dr. David Galton, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University