Distal teat amputation in lactating dairy cows with injury to the distal teat and streak canal

Abstract

When a streak canal injury occurs, there may be subtle or no external signs of damage. The first sign a producer notices is it takes longer for the injured quarter to empty or milk flow is im­paired during milking. Given that a dairy cow with 4 efficiently functioning teats is essential to dairy production systems, an economically feasible procedure, such as distal teat amputa­tion, to treat these injuries is necessary. The objectives of this study were to describe the distal teat amputation procedure and determine the short- and long-term outcomes of dairy cows treated with a distal teat amputation. The hypothesis is that dairy cows with internal damage to the streak canal and subse­quent difficulty milking will have improved milking efficiency with the machine following surgical treatment with a distal teat amputation.