Colored Teats

[CKC1586]

I read on here somewhere that someone used "something" that they put on the teats, to determine if the calf was sucking. Who was that and what was the "stuff"???

 

[sidney411]

Food coloring. Works better on light colored teats but you can sometimes see green on black teats.

 

[CKC1586]

Food coloring. Works better on light colored teats but you can sometimes see green on black teats.

Thanks. Did you mix the food coloring with something to make it stick well??? This sounded like a good idea to me.

 

[bward]

Use the liquid stuff and wear a thin rubber glove, just dab or pour drops of it onto the gloved hand and grab the teat like you were gonna milk it and mush away. beleive me.... it sticks.

 

[CKC1586]

Cool! Thanks.

 

[RVF]

I use tattoo ink on the calf's nose. It will be all over the udder if the calf is sucking.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, I posted that I color the teats. I use a dairy teat dip that is blue in color & I use a teat dip cup. I add quite a bit of food coloring - makes Easter egg blue teats!
Never tried it straight. the only thing wrong with coloring the calf's nose, sometimes they really poke around the udder and never actually get the teat. If the teat is colored, you REALLY know if the calf has sucked when you see those clean teats. Harder with black teats.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Thats it I have heard it all now, thats another thing that not going to happen here, dying udders like an Easter basket. I could just see the looks you would get around here to see pastel udders in the pasture.

 

[Darhawk]

Thats it I have heard it all now, thats another thing that not going to happen here, dying udders like an Easter basket. I could just see the looks you would get around here to see pastel udders in the pasture.

:lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap: :lol2: :clap:

 

[grubbie]

Seems like a waste of time to me,...no offense. But even if the teats are colored, doesn't mean the calf is actually getting any milk. You still need to watch once in a while to see if the calf is emptying the bag at all. Actually around here we can't babysit the cows that much. You'll know in a day or two if the calf is not getting fed. THEN worry about why not, and what to do about it. If you only have a few cows, and can watch them very closely, it should be apparent whether the calf is emptying a quarter or not. It's just as easy as marking the bag. We watch the heifers close as we can, and try to make sure the calf gets up and sucks. But the cows take care of themselves. If they don't, cull 'em. Just my opinion. I understand there are a few hobby cattle raisers here, that like to be very "involved" with there animals on a daily basis. A lot of it just seems like overkill to me. Good luck!

 

[novatech]

Seems like a waste of time to me,...no offense. But even if the teats are colored, doesn't mean the calf is actually getting any milk. You still need to watch once in a while to see if the calf is emptying the bag at all. Actually around here we can't babysit the cows that much. You'll know in a day or two if the calf is not getting fed. THEN worry about why not, and what to do about it. If you only have a few cows, and can watch them very closely, it should be apparent whether the calf is emptying a quarter or not. It's just as easy as marking the bag. We watch the heifers close as we can, and try to make sure the calf gets up and sucks. But the cows take care of themselves. If they don't, cull 'em. Just my opinion. I understand there are a few hobby cattle raisers here, that like to be very "involved" with there animals on a daily basis. A lot of it just seems like overkill to me. Good luck!

The marker is not intended to be used on every cow. It is used on cows that you know you have a problem with. I have used it on cows that I have had to milk out. Afterward I apply the marker. The next morning, or anytime, I can quickly observe wither the cow had been nursed or not. It is actually more useful for those that have a lot of cattle and not a lot of time to sit and watch.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Novatech - that's exactly how I use it. I don't randomly mark teats :shock: Calving mainly in February, we have an intensive labor intensive month, and I don't need to be "playing" with my cows. If there is a problem, it's a helpful tool, because I cannot be "watching" to see if a calf sucks, and if I don't catch it sucking, I guarantee you I cannot tell on most of my cows/heifers if the calf sucked - they definately DO NOT empty a quarter, and if they do, it is replenished real quick. We're talking 1-2 day old calves - they don't come close to emptying our cows bags. And we don't have near the milk in our cows we used to have - thank goodness!

 

[dun]

The mental image if putting the cows teats in one of those little wire egg dipping loops and dipping it in easter egg dye comes to mind

 

[Caustic Burno]

Seems like a waste of time to me,...no offense. But even if the teats are colored, doesn't mean the calf is actually getting any milk. You still need to watch once in a while to see if the calf is emptying the bag at all. Actually around here we can't babysit the cows that much. You'll know in a day or two if the calf is not getting fed. THEN worry about why not, and what to do about it. If you only have a few cows, and can watch them very closely, it should be apparent whether the calf is emptying a quarter or not. It's just as easy as marking the bag. We watch the heifers close as we can, and try to make sure the calf gets up and sucks. But the cows take care of themselves. If they don't, cull 'em. Just my opinion. I understand there are a few hobby cattle raisers here, that like to be very "involved" with there animals on a daily basis. A lot of it just seems like overkill to me. Good luck!

The marker is not intended to be used on every cow. It is used on cows that you know you have a problem with. I have used it on cows that I have had to milk out. Afterward I apply the marker. The next morning, or anytime, I can quickly observe wither the cow had been nursed or not. It is actually more useful for those that have a lot of cattle and not a lot of time to sit and watch.

I use a different kind of marker for cattle like this it has a yellow background with black numbers.

 

[pauline]

I'd use coloring because I can't watch them every minute. Got a day job.

If the momma cow sits on the ground, would the coloring be gone when the teats come in contact with the ground and therefore gives us a wrong impression?

 

[novatech]

I'd use coloring because I can't watch them every minute. Got a day job.

If the momma cow sits on the ground, would the coloring be gone when the teats come in contact with the ground and therefore gives us a wrong impression?

No. The coloring will only come off one side. If the calf sucks it will come off the entire teat.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Wet grass or snow might get it off, but it takes quite a bit to take it off. The only ones I use it on are problem cases, so they are confined in the barn. Dry bedding does NOT rub it off.