LACERATED TEATS

Waipa Post, Volume 36, Issue 2148, 24 April 1928, Page 7

LACERATED TEATS

CAUSES AND TREATMENT. Heifers are not commonly troubled with lacerations of the teats, for the reason that their teats are smaller and higher held than those of the cow that has had several claves. The udder of the old cow becomes pendulous and the large teats are then readily injured when the cow is stepping over a high sill or other obstacle, or they may be torn by thorns, snags, or other objects in timber pasture, or by fence wires. Some accidents, however, may also injure the heifer’s teats. The teats are even more tender in the heifer, readily lacerated, become intensely inflamed, and are difficult to milk on that account. Unless (says an American journal) the lacertaions are promptly treated, therefore, the heifer may develop the kicking habit and become a nuisanc at milking time. All such lacerations are also liable to become infected by germs and then may be most difficult to heal.

When a cow is alowed to nurse two calves, her teats often are lacerated by the teeth of the nursing animals. Why is that so? The question is not so easy to answer as it might seem at first. We suppose one reason is that two calves do double the amount of sucking ,and another is that the milk is sooner drawn from the udder, hence the calves tug and bunt more to obtain a supply. Anyhow, there can be no question that the cow nursing two calves is quite often troubled with 's.ore teats, and therefore, needs and should have special attention, Another common cause of lacerations, and not one always recognised, is failure of the milker to keep his finger nails trimmed close. There should be no trouble from that source when milkers are duly careful, as they should be if dairy cows are to do their best and escape udder troubles of all sorts. We wish to emphasise the urgent necessity of instantly attending to small lacerations of the teats. If they are neglected, infection will be practically certain to ensue, and when it has occurred most serious effects may follow, including shrinkage in milk yield and worse still, severe or ruinous attacks of mastitis. The filth of the stable floor, in the yard, and wherever farm animals long have been, teems with germ known as bacillius necrophorus. That miero-organfsm normally, is present in the intestines of the hog, and consequently will be most prevalent where hogs use the same yard as the cows. Invasion of lacerations by the germ causes ulceration, and even gangrene, in some instances. Always it complicates matters, and makes the wounds that were slight at first take on a most serious character. There is no need of allowing lacerations to become thus seriously affected. On hygienic principles it is best to keep the cow in a clean paddock for a few days when it is found that her teats have been wounded, or even severely scratched. Preventitive treatment is most important, and keepin gthe cow away from sources of dangerous infection is necessary.

Local treatment then’should consist in washing the teats and udder clean; swabbing the wounds with condy’s crystals after removing every bit of foreign matter, and afterwards applying a good healing salve two or three times daily. A soft paste of bismuth subnitrate and pure castor oil serves well for the purpose, as does a mixture of one part of balsam of Peru and three parts of alcohol, or one part of compound tincture of benzoin and three parts of glycerine. lodine ointment, reduced to one half or more in strength will also be found excellent for uso in such cases.