Teat end condition matters Published in Dairy Star June 6, 2008
This spring I have noticed a lot rougher teat ends than usual.
This observation has probably been caused in part by our recent
long winter. Generally, teat condition is worse in harsh winter
weather and chapping of teats tends to make teat-end condition
worse as well. A teat end in good condition is important for
resisting mastitis. The teat canal is the cow's last line of
defense and the primary physical barrier preventing invasion of
mastitis pathogens into the udder. Repeated milking of cows
results in callous ring formation around the teat orifice just
like we get callused hands from manual work. This callus
formation, called hyperkaratosis, was first described by Dr.
Ralph Farnsworth, University of Minnesota veterinarian, and his
graduate student Dr. Bob Sieber more than 25 years ago. Dr.
Farnsworth developed a teat-end scoring system that has been
modified and is still in use today (see Teat End Condition Score
Card that accompanies this ar