supernumerary teats

[Colin]

Should any young bull, regardless of how much potential they are showing, be destined for the freezer if they have a supernumerary teat ?

Colin

[Broomcroft]

Here is a site called "The Fascinating World of Extra Teats". It doesn't say much other than if you leave them they might get infected. http://www.hiyt.afhe.ualberta.ca/winter ... thteat.pdf.

[Duncan MacIntyre]

The tendency to extra teats is quite strongly inherited, so if we want to try to keep good udders on our cows they are best avoided. Cows which have them will be likely to pass on the trait to daughters, and so will a bull which has more than 4 teats, hence the mention in the breed standard. Most extra teats probably do not cause any harm, but if we were to breed consistently from parents with them we would be likely to see much stronger extra quarters.

Whilst they may not be among the more serious defects we should avoid using bulls with them as the trait will show up in the daughters, or be passed on through sons.

Many extra teats are removed when the heifer is just young, and often there is little evidence of this, which makes it difficult in my book to reject a female just because we can see one - for example when inspecting for a DCS approved sale I would not normally want to reject a cow which showed one as others in the sale may have had them removed showing no evidence. On the other hand I would view a bull with supernumerary teats more seriously as he is likely to leave more offspring.

Clive's link is worth a careful read.

Duncan

[natmadaboutdexters]

I have two heifers, almost two years old that I was hoping to sell at a Show & Sale later in the year but both have extra teats. Will they be classed as 'failed inspection' for having these extra teats? I don't want to presume that all will be okay and then be disappointed when they are rejected. on another matter, when showing heifers which may have a small extra teat, will this always be put last in the line up due to the teat?

Natasha

[natmadaboutdexters]

Having read the latest issue of the Bulletin, it seems part of my question has been answered, they can be shown with extra teats but I expect if it comes down to placing, those without extra teats will be placed above those with.

Natasha