Kid with 4 teats

[Tadpole]

I just noticed that my little percentage boar has 4 teats. What should I do. Take her to have one set taken off? Or does it matter in milking? I've never seen this ever in a goat.

[pookshollow]

Extra teats are fairly common in Boers (not "boar" - that's a male pig ). I most certainly wouldn't have them taken off - what if they are functioning teats?

[Shazza]

I remember someone on this forum one time saying that there can be 4 or 2 teats on a boer. Hopefully a Boer goat breeder will post here.

[nubiansinny]

What are your plans for her? If you want to milk her it might be a problem.
Extra teats run the gamet from just little skin flaps to functioning teats to fish teats that are imposible to milk and kids can't suck.
I don't think the meat goat breeders care too much , I've seen a lot.
I would not buy or breed a doe with it. It's genetic and she'll pass it to her kids in one form or another.
having them removed might make her milkable or they might not get in the way anyway. You have to go by how each one looks

[topside1]

I have yet to have a full blooded two teated boer doe...In the future if anyone buys a boer cross and plans to milk it....Before buying inspect the doelings udder/teats for two teats and no more...All my 2008 boer/laMancha crosses were two teaters....I insisted that the buyers verify the same prior to purchase....enjoy your goats everyone....TJ

[mpete]

Leave them alone.... many boers have more than two teats.... from what I understand it is when you beging crossing into the dairy breeds that the "fish tail" teat becomes prevalent... My boer does have 2 functioning teats and 2 non functioning, 1 of them has a "nublet" off the side it does not have an orfice. Someone on here has a doe that has all four funtioning teats, and the kids use them all....

[TC]

Many Fullblood Boer goats originally had 4 teats. Many percentages and fullbloods still have them. It is correct that the breeding to dairy breeds, and/or mass breeding to "breed out" 4 teats, is what can bring about the "fish teat" situation, or one or two of them being non working. You can remove them, however I would not, just my own personal opinion. They usually are genetic, and will more than likely pass it on to offspring, in some form or another. I have never attempted to milk a 4 teat goat, and would guess it might be a problem, however I have had plenty of 4 teat moms who nurse their babies just fine.

[RiverPines]

I have goats with 3-4 teats. The kids figure out which produce and which dont.
No big deal.

[Scrounger]

I've got four walking around here with 4 teats. Two high % and two full Boer. No big deal.

[Goat Servant]

They originally came with 4 teats but some folks are breeding this trait out.
Yes, the kids do figure out if the extras are not working.
One of my does has 4 working. Most of her offspring have four. More room at the table!

[Terre d'Esprit]

I breed for 4 teated goats! Most of my does had triplets this year, and like Goat Servant says, it makes sense that they can feed their babies. Others will disagree with me, and that's fine, but I think it's silly to breed this out of Boers.

[Goat Servant]

Originally Posted by Terre d'Esprit

I breed for 4 teated goats! Most of my does had triplets this year, and like Goat Servant says, it makes sense that they can feed their babies. Others will disagree with me, and that's fine, but I think it's silly to breed this out of Boers.

Boering Mom well said!! Save the 4 teaters!!