6 teats

[Star Creek Dexters]

Any of you have cows that have 2 extra nonfunctioning teats? Ever had experience breeding it out?

I have a 8 month old heifer who is beautiful, great comformation, perfect disposition and a wonderful little udder with 4 perfectly spaced teats. The only problem is that she has two tiny extra teats in the back. Her Momma had them also.

I really love this heifer, and think she's going to make a wonderful milk cow, but not sure if I want to keep her as breeding stock for my herd, because of her extras.

We have a herd of about 40 Brangus as well. It is not uncommon for them to have 6 teats, actually it's pretty common! usually the extras do not function.

From what I understand, udder comes more from the sire than the dam, but she carried on the extra teats from her dam, so makes me think it's a dominant gene.
Anyone have any thoughts or ideas for breeding this out? Would like to here what ya'll have to say on the subject.

Thanks!

[legendrockranch]

Dec 8, 2010 21:53:05 GMT -5 Star Creek Dexters said:

not sure if I want to keep her as breeding stock for my herd, because of her extras.

Kim, send her down my way ;D

I was totally upset when I saw a few cows with extra teats in my herd when I started out. As I read about it I also found out how common it was in cattle. That did alleviate some of my anxiety, but I still didn't like it. I thought I had it totally out of my herd until I brought in a few new animals.
Some say it is a recessive gene, some say dominate. I would also like to have a definitive answer. We all want the "perfect Dexter"
Sorry I can't be of much help on this one.

Barb

[dexterfarm]

my cow also has the 2 extra nubins.

[cddexter]

this is a really common trait. no sweat. probably good idea to not select for it, but otherwise i wouldn't worry. c.

[Star Creek Dexters]

Thanks for all the response.
T, do you milk your girl? Wondering if they will cause any troubles?

[dexterlady]

Hey Kimberly, I had a cow ( not a Dexter ) that had a fifth teat and she had milk in it! I think it was really some sort of deformation. I am thinking it must have been somehow conected to one of the back quarters . I have never heard of a cow having five chambers.......Donna

[legendrockranch]

For the most part extra teats are non-functioning, smaller in size and up higher on the udder. BUT... some extras do work, I've just never had one that did.
One of the reasons dairies snip off the extra tests is because they can sometimes interfere with milking machines. So if it's in the way snip it off. Be sure however it does not have a orifice or canal, you don't want to cut those.

Barb

[Star Creek Dexters]

I guess I need to haul this little on into the vet and see what he has to say. Hmmm...

[legendrockranch]

classes.ansci.illinois.edu/ansc438/beginning/beginning_8.html

I find it interesting that the above article (for a class) says 50% of dairy calves are born with extra teats.

There is lots of other information on this site.

Barb

[kansasdexters]

Extra teats (supernumerary teats or "SNTs") are common in all breeds of cattle. But there are different types of SNTs:

1. Caudal teats - located at the rear of normal teats
2. Intercalary teats - located between normal teats
3. Ramal teats - ramifications of the normal teats

Caudal teats are the most common and these can be found in 40 to 50% of female cattle (there have been many studies done on this subject). The two other types of SNTs are found in less than 1% of female cattle. SNTs are also found in other kinds of domestic livestock including pigs, sheep, and goats.

Several of our Dexter cows and several of our Kerry cows have one or two caudal teats, on their rear quarters. These are non-functional teats and they look like "buttons". We have never had a problem with these SNTs and we don't remove them. Since they don't interfere with milking or with the calf suckling, there really isn't any need to bother with them.

We haven't noticed a direct inheritance of SNTs from mother to daughter. Some daughters have SNTs and their dams do not and some dams have SNTs and their daughters do not. None of our "bull mothers" have SNTs, and I've never seen any SNTs on a bull or bull calf.


Patti

[Star Creek Dexters]

Thanks you Barb and Patti for the great info.

Barb, I really enjoyed that site!

Patti, that is great knowledge to have.

Still not sure what I will do here. I will definitely have the vet check her out and probly keep her, give her a chance to throw a heifer calf and see if she passes them down. If she does, then I will take her out of our herd.

This is the hard part. When you have such a perfect cow, everything you want, and then one thing pops up.

[legendrockranch]

Dec 11, 2010 8:27:35 GMT -5 Star Creek Dexters said:

This is the hard part. When you have such a perfect cow, everything you want, and then one thing pops up.

That sure is the truth, I've yet to see the "perfect Dexter".

Barb

[linda]

Be thankful she only has extra teats and is not missing one like my heifer. One of my heifers is 3 teated. That is most definately a cull factor. She won't bag up till spring so I won't know till then if she is 3 quartered or lost a teat in a coyote attack. Life is interesting to say the least.