Teat end
hyperkeratosis – what does it mean?
The
physical condition of cows’ teats indicates the quality of the environment,
the milking management and the milking system used on a dairy herd. It can also
be used as an indicator for the risk of mastitis.
One
important aspect of teat condition is teat end hyperkeratosis. This is a
thickening of the skin of the teat end which is seen as roughness or callus
formation. It reduces the ability of the teat canal to protect against bacterial
invasion.
Skin
thickens in response to the forces applied to it. Just like the thickening on a
person’s hands with manual work, the skin of the teat end thickens in response
to milking. Peak lactation in high producing cows is a time of particular risk
because cups are on teats for longer.
Factors
that contribute to the development of teat end hyperkeratosis include:
-
Washing
teats – water and chemicals reduce skin moisture and elasticity
-
Cups
on before let down – teats experience vacuum when milk flow is low
-
High
vacuum – greater stress on teat tissues
-
Liners
stiff or at high tension – blood circulation in the teat wall is changed
-
Overmilking
- teats experience vacuum when milk flow is low
Improvements
in teat end hyperkeratosis occur within 2-3 weeks of resolution of the
underlying problems.
It
is worth looking at teat ends on a regular basis to identify whether cows are
developing teat end hyperkeratosis and discussing findings with your
veterinarian or milking machine technician.
"A normal teat
end"
"Very rough hyperkeratosis"
Length: 252
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