Too mant teats

[chiefgriz]

I have a cow that had twin heifers. Both of these twins are about to calve. The odd thing is they have 7 or 8 teats. Is this uncommon? Will 3 or 4 of them become dominant over the rest?
And last , is this a trait that is undesirable to where I need to load em up and sale them? Thanks for any input...

 

[SF]

That is a lot of teats. More than I've ever seen. I think the most I've ever seen is 6. Most probably only 4 will produce milk. It is an undesireable trait, but if this is the only major fault, I wouln't haul them away. It would take more than 8 teats to convince me to get rid of them.

 

[msscamp]

The thing I would be concerned about is which 4? A newborn doesn't have a whole lot of strength until it nurses and gets to be a day or so old. If that newborn calf gets ahold of 2 or 3 that aren't producing he/she may become too tired to keep trying and not get the colostrum that he/she needs. Plus, this trait may be passed on to the offspring of these heifers. I think I would ship them. Being born, mastering the art of standing, walking, finding the udder, and nursing is demanding enough, why add to the stress?

 

[milkmaid]

Generally those extra teats - even right after calving - and esp on a first calf heifer, are too small for a calf to latch on to. Or they're right next to the main teats and the calf would get both in its mouth.

I've only seen (up to) six on any one cow, and yes only four are going to give milk. Should be obvious which ones.

 

[msscamp]

Generally those extra teats - even right after calving - and esp on a first calf heifer, are too small for a calf to latch on to. Or they're right next to the main teats and the calf would get both in its mouth.

I've only seen (up to) six on any one cow, and yes only four are going to give milk. Should be obvious which ones.

Generally does not mean always, and being obvious to a person does not mean being obvious to a newborn calf.

 

[jgn]

Watch the calves and make sure they are nursing, if so and their health seems okay you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Shipping her would all depend on the above, I personally wouldn't as long as the calves do okay.

 

[Jake]

Generally those extra teats - even right after calving - and esp on a first calf heifer, are too small for a calf to latch on to. Or they're right next to the main teats and the calf would get both in its mouth.

I've only seen (up to) six on any one cow, and yes only four are going to give milk. Should be obvious which ones.

Generally does not mean always, and being obvious to a person does not mean being obvious to a newborn calf.

extra teats will be no more than a button size. they can be removed also

 

[certherfbeef]

Generally those extra teats - even right after calving - and esp on a first calf heifer, are too small for a calf to latch on to. Or they're right next to the main teats and the calf would get both in its mouth.

I've only seen (up to) six on any one cow, and yes only four are going to give milk. Should be obvious which ones.

Generally does not mean always, and being obvious to a person does not mean being obvious to a newborn calf.

extra teats will be no more than a button size. they can be removed also

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT remove those extra teats after she starts lactating. If you are going to remove them...be sure to know which are the extras. Use a pair of really sharp sissors and snip. But do it really early. Like weaning or before. Once there is milk in the udder, DO NOT remove those teats.

 

[SF]

cheifgriz; You really don't need to worry about those extra teats. I wouldn't cut them off. As Jake pointed out, they will only be button size anyway. It will be obvious which ones are milking. The calf won't even pay those other teats any attention.

 

[chiefgriz]

So far everyone has said 6 was the most teats they had ever seen on a cow. With 8 teats, it seems like I have a true freak here. Bidding starts at $2000. Do I hear $2500?

 

[THECowGirl]

Hmmm. At the dairy here that my husband worked at the extras were removed when they were a few weeks old.

 

[milkmaid]

Started to write out a response and erased it - SF and Jake said it better than I could.

 

[certherfbeef]

Hmmm. At the dairy here that my husband worked at the extras were removed when they were a few weeks old.

That is because they interfere with the milker. Only milker on a beef cow is the calf.

 

[Rustler9]

Those teats will be fine-only four will have milk and the calf will find those pretty quick if it's a healthy calf. I have some Longhorns with six and seven teats and they're just extra little buttons that never have any milk nor do they get in the way. If those cows are good cows I sure wouldn't let something like that make me sell them.

 

[THECowGirl]

Hmmm. At the dairy here that my husband worked at the extras were removed when they were a few weeks old.

That is because they interfere with the milker. Only milker on a beef cow is the calf.

True!! I never thought of it that way!!

 

[jcarkie]

alot of cows have extra in the back that are small. i have a heifer that has 4 regular, two in the back and one in the middle of the two regulars. i noticed it when she was about to calve and after the calf found the real thing it looks smaller now.