Question for the cow experts

[jon f mn]

Anyone ever seen a cow with 6 working teats? Ive seen plenty with small unworking extras, but never .ore than 4 working. Last fall I bought a heifer they said wouldn't breed to fatten and sell. Turned out she was bred a d she had a nice bull calf a couple days back.

Was watching the calf eat and noticed he was taking turns at too many spigots. I tried to get a Pic, but it was hard to do as she was not happy to have me near. I did get this one, you can see the third one this side under the mud clump.

The calf eats from the 2 front ones from each side then goes around back and sucks off the rear 2. Im just wondering how common that is?

 

[cjunrau]

Yes in the dairy we had quite a few that milked on 6

 

[Tony in SD]

Yes on our dairy farm when I was a kid, we had a few cows with 4+ working teets

 

[centash]

On dairy cows, extra teats were cut off at birth....since you couldn't milk them, they were a source of contamination if they leaked. On a nursing beef cow, I don't think they would hurt anything.

Ben

 

[rustred]

I have not seen 6 working ones. Be handy for cows with twins ,lol. I’m in the pasture right now watching a hi lander cow as she just calved 15 min. Ago. Last 2 years she had twins each year.

 

[Tgrasher]

Lots of undesirable genes in cows, especially unregistered. Have a Jersey cow purchased as a small heifer in Kentucky. Grew to have a wry face where the lower jaw became misaligned with the upper over time. Doesn't seem to bother her but she will never win any beauty contests.