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1. Diseases

2. 
 Mastitis
 Pseudo cow pox (Milker’s nodes, Paravaccinia)
 Udder edema
 Precocious Mammary Development
 Failure of Milk Ejection (Milk Letdown)
 Agalactia
 “Blind” or Nonfunctional Quarters
 Congenital Disorders
Physiological disorders

3. 
Mastitis

4. 
 Udder edema is common in high-producing dairy cattle
(especially heifers) before and after parturition.
Predisposing causes include age at first calving (older
heifers are at greater risk), gestation length, genetics,
nutritional management, obesity, and lack of exercise
during the precalving period
 Massage, repeated as often as possible, and hot
compresses stimulate circulation and promote edema
reduction. Diuretics have proved highly beneficial in
reducing udder edema, and corticosteroids may be
helpful. Products that combine diuretics and
corticosteroids are available for treatment of udder
edema.
Udder edema

5. 
 Initiation of milk secretion in heifers before calving is
occasionally noted. Precocious mammary
development in a single gland sometimes results
from suckling by herdmates. Symmetric mammary
development has been occasionally associated with
ovarian neoplasia or exposure to feedstuffs
containing estrogen or contaminated by mycotoxins.
 Removal of contaminated feedstuffs generally
results in resolution of the problem.
Precocious Mammary
Development

6. 
 In rare instances, newly calved heifers may have
problems with milk ejection. Fear of handling or
unfamiliarity with the milking facility or milking
procedures is the usual cause. Care should be taken to
ensure that animals are handled calmly and gently and
that the milking routine provides for adequate
stimulation (>20 sec) before attaching the milking unit.
 Administration of oxytocin (20 IU, IM) may be necessary
in some instances, but doses should be gradually reduced
to avoid dependence on administration of
exogenous oxytocin
Failure of Milk Ejection
(Milk Letdown)

7. 
 Agalactia is seen occasionally in heifers and can be a
primary endocrine problem or a localized problem of
the mammary gland. It is occasionally caused by a
severe systemic disease or by mastitis caused
by Mycoplasma bovis. Agalactia has also been
associated with cows grazing or eating endophyte-
infested fescue
Agalactia

8. 
 Nonfunctional quarters are usually the result of a
severe mastitis infection, which may occur in dry or
lactating cows or in heifers due to suckling by other
heifers or calves.
 Some of these quarters may occasionally return to
production in future lactations. Rarely, blind or
nonfunctional quarters may be congenital.
“Blind” or
Nonfunctional Quarters

9. 
 supernumerary teats.
 These may be located on the udder behind the posterior teats,
between the front and hind teats, or attached to either the front
or hind teats.
 Removal of supernumerary teats from dairy heifers is desirable
to improve appearance of the udder, to eliminate the possibility
of mastitis in the gland above the extra teats, and to facilitate
milking.
 Most are easily removed surgically when the heifer is from 1
wk to 1 yr old (best done at 3–8 mo of age). Supernumerary
teats may be surgically removed from preparturient heifers
before lactation begins.
 The incision should be sutured or stapled after excision of the
teat.
Congenital Disorders

10. 
 Trauma and lacerations
 Teat obstructions
Complete teat obstruction
Stenosis
 Breakdown of udder support apparatus
 Hematomas
 Abscess
 Bloody milk
 Teat Sphincter Inadequacy (“Leakers” or Incontinentia
Lactis)
Traumatic and
structural disorders

11. 
 Superficial wounds to the udder and teats may be cleaned
with suitable antiseptic solutions and treated as open
wounds with frequent application of antiseptic powders
or sprays.
 If the teats are involved, adhesive tape may hasten
healing. Wounds involving the teat orifice should be
dressed with antiseptic creams and bandaged after
milking.
 Affected quarters are at very high risk of infection, and
prophylactic treatment with intramammary antibiotics is
recommended to prevent development of mastitis
Trauma and Laceration

12. 
 Acquired teat obstructions are usually the result of proliferation of
granulation tissue after the occurrence of an observed or
unobserved teat injury.
 Teat obstructions are usually recognized when they interfere with
milk flow. They can range from diffuse, tightly adherent lesions to
highly mobile discrete lesions that float throughout the gland
cistern. Some “floaters” are caused by formation of small masses
from butterfat, minerals, and tissue in mammary ducts during the
dry period.
 These can be recognized by intermittent disruptions in milk flow.
They may be removed by forced pressure downward on the teat
cistern or by use of specialized instruments inserted through the
teat canal. Membranous obstructions in the area of the annular fold
at the base of the gland cistern are sometimes seen in heifers.
Treatment of these obstructions is generally unsuccessful
Teat Obstructions

13. 
 may result when adhesions fill the teat cistern after
severe trauma.
 In instances of severe injury, milking of the quarter
should be permanently discontinued.
Complete teat
obstruction

14. 
 It is characterized by a marked narrowing of the teat orifice or streak
canal. It usually results from a contusion or wound that produces swelling
or formation of a blood clot or scab or from mastitis infections.
 Teat obstructions can be diagnosed initially by careful palpation of the
affected gland. Complex teat obstructions or obstructions in valuable
animals may require diagnostic imaging such as ultrasonography, contrast
radiography, or theloscopy (endoscopy).
 Treatment varies depending on severity. Conservative treatment includes
the use of teat cannulas and external pressure to remove obstructions,
whereas serious cases may require prompt referral to specialists for
thelotomy or theloscopy (endoscopic surgery). All injuries to, or surgical
procedures on, the teat should be handled carefully to prevent infection.
Prophylactic antibiotic infusions of the quarter are indicated when the teat
or teat orifice is involved. Permanent fistulas into the teat or gland cisterns
are best repaired during the dry period.
Teat stenosis

15. 
 Rupture of the suspensory ligaments of the udder
(usually the medial suspensory ligament) occurs
gradually in some older cows and leads to a dropping of
the udder floor, resulting in lateral deviation of the teats.
 Occasionally, acute rupture can occur at or just after
parturition. Animals with this condition are at high risk of
developing mastitis.
 There is no successful treatment; supportive trusses
generally are not satisfactory. The condition is suspected
to have a genetic basis, and these animals are often
removed from the milking herd.
Breakdown of Udder
Support Apparatus

16. 
 Trauma (often related to inadequate housing) can result in
contusions and hematomas of the udder. Hematomas usually
appear as soft-tissue swellings located anterior to the foreudder
or caudodorsal to the rear udder.
 They may be difficult to differentiate from abscesses. Severe
hematomas can result in anemia if not treated. In most
instances, hematomas resolve after conservative treatment
consisting of pressure wraps and rest
 Hematomas should not be incised or drained unless they
become infected. Milking should be performed cautiously
during the convalescent period.
 Hematomas that continue to enlarge should be considered an
emergency because of the possibility of excessive blood loss
and shock.
Hematomas

17. 
 Subcutaneous abscesses of the udder (not involving
the milk-producing tissue) can develop between the
skin and the supporting connective tissue of the
udder. Diagnosis is by needle aspiration.
 Abscesses usually develop secondary to wounds,
chronic mastitis, infected hematomas, or severe
contusions. They should be incised and drained
when chronic and near the surface of the udder.
 The wound should be flushed daily with an
antiseptic solution or water under pressure until
healing is complete
Abscesses

18. 
 The occurrence of pink- or red-tinged milk is common
after calving and can be attributed to rupture of tiny
mammary blood vessels. Udder swelling from edema or
trauma is a potential underlying cause.
 Bloody milk is not fit for consumption. In most cases, it
resolves without treatment in 4–14 days, provided the
gland is milked out regularly. The occurrence of frank
blood in a single quarter is likely the result of severe,
acute mastitis or trauma, and milking should be
discontinued until hemorrhage is controlled.
Intramammary antibiotics should be administered if
mastitis is suspected.
Bloody Milk

19. 
 High levels of intramammary pressure in high-producing
dairy cows may result in milk dripping from teats.
 Risk factors for milk leakage include high peak milk flow
rates, short teats, and inverted teat ends. Shorter intervals
or more frequent milking may be recommended when a
large proportion of the herd is affected
 These cows usually have sustained a severe teat injury or
have an abnormal streak canal.
 it is recommended that persistent leakers be designated
for removal from the herd.
Teat Sphincter
Inadequacy

20. 
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The end