Is this (extra udders) a defect? (Cattle - Dairy)

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Can any one answer this question. My calf has a 5th teat, it is located in the back just behind the normal teat, right side, as one is facing the calf. Does this lower the calf's value?

-- Patricia Raunick (patriciarnck@aol.com), August 16, 2001

Answers

This is very common in cattle. Normally the extra ones are non- fuctional, but I once had a cow with six, four normal ones and two extra button ones, all six of which worked. I doubt it will lower value.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 16, 2001.

My daughter's show dairy heifer, a holstein, wound up having two extra teats. We just had them removed when the vet came out to vaccinate her. He just said that they are more like warts, not teats. You can leave them on it won't make any difference. We had to have them removed because she's a 4-H show heifer and that would be a defect.

-- Bev (cafemocha@ivillage.com), August 16, 2001.

They are occassionally functional, but it's rare. When they are they are a very small fifth "quarter". They can, however, get mastitis, so if it ever develops be aware of this. But 99% of the time they are just a conversation piece. :) In your basic cow it causes no drop in value.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), August 16, 2001.

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