A good udder with well-shaped four teats is one of the things that contribute to a desired appearance of a dairy cow. It also adds up to an animal’s value in the herd as a milking cow. However, it is not unique to find cows with more than four teats.
While the extra teats’ existence pose no threat, they do not translate to more milk. In actual sense, the existence of extra teats on a cow’s udder, in excess of the normal four, commonly known as supernumerary teats is a defect.
They result from a combination of genes within the animal, bringing about an abnormality that is heritable from the parents to the offspring.
Their placements on the udder vary, making them at times difficult to sight. They are found on the hind part of the udder just behind the two teats at the back, but not always.
You can also find an extra teat between the hind and front teats and at times they are attached or fused to the normal teat.
Though not harmful, if left unattended to, they develop along with consequences as the cow matures. At a later stage, they predispose a cow to bacteria, causing infections like mastitis, which are costly to treat.
Udder abscesses and milk leaks are also common with this defect.
They make milking a difficult practice especially when fitting teat cups where a milking machine is used, and initiate further injuries to the cow.
In hand milking, they are known to be associated with lengthening the duration of milking when attached to the normal teat, this practically means, you lose some milk because the exercise should take seven minutes at most.
How to remove the teat professionally
Some extra teats produce milk, but it is advisable to remove them as soon as they can be positively identified to escape the consequences and promote better udder appearance.
In most occasions, elimination of these teats is done when the animal is at a tender age and easy to handle with very little bleeding expected, sometimes when they are about two to six weeks old.
To be sure that a teat is extra, physically inspect the udder rather than just viewing the cow from behind or from one direction.
After you identify it, roll the teat between your fingers to be sure again; supernumerary teats feel firmer and have very little or no teat cistern.
All these checks are done to avoid removing a normal teat, which would be extremely harmful to the cow.
Get a veterinarian to remove the extra teats professionally, especially from older animals.
They are removed using a sterilised sharp knife or pair of scissors. Observe a strict sanitary environment and the udder itself should be rinsed with a disinfectant. Apply iodine and if necessary fly repellants.
The best way to avoid having such defect in your herd is to select against the trait.
Any cow with this defect should not be selected as future breeding animals since they are most likely to offer calves with the same defect. It is also recommended not to select heifers from parents with extra teats
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