Plugged teats

[mom25kiddles]

This is the second time one of my girls has had plugged teats. It's always both of them and an actual *thing* is plugging them and shoots out once the teat is unplugged. The *thing* is white and tipped in red, shaped like a cylinder and rubbery feeling. The milk tastes just fine and there is no drop in quantity, etc. What is this?

Thanks ~
Carmen

[Alice In TX/MO]

Solidified milk. Did they just freshen?

Have you sent a sample for testing for mastitis?

[mom25kiddles]

No, she freshened at the beginning of June. I have not sent a sample in for mastitis... I'm sorry to sound so ignorant... where is *in* to send a sample? I thought that I would know mastitis by seeing any *strings* in the milk and by an off flavor. I was going to buy these strips from Hoeggers that test the milk but my neighbor (an elderly gal who used to have a huge goat herd) said that I would know mastitis in a second and the strips were useless. Ha ha... apparently she has more faith in me than I deserve!!

Thanks ~
Carmen

[Cyngbaeld]

It is a waxy plug and keeps bacteria out of the teat. Usually they only have it when they first freshen, but one of mine continues to get them and doesn't have mastitis. Just milk it out into the strip cup.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I've never heard of 'strings' in milk with mastitis. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but just I haven't heard of it.

This is from goatwisdom.com...
Brief guidelines for identification of mastitis by the nature of the milk:
--Slight wateriness with a few flakes –subacute staphylococcus aureus
--Watery with large yellow clots –streptococcal and staphylococcal
--Watery brown with fine mealy flakes –E. coli


Here is who to call about submitting a sample of milk to test:
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center - Hill Farm Research Station, Mastitis Laboratory 3380 Highway 79, Homer, LA 71040
(318) 927-9654

I got that from dairygoatinfo.com

[hayjade]

mom25,
I had not heard that! I am so glad I read your post. My girl always has trouble with one teat working first thing. I gotta kind of work it till it opens. No other trouble once it starts to flow. So that makes sense that it is some sort of plug. i never see anything but then my eyes probably wouldnt spot something so small. Thanks for your post!

[Laverne]

Last year about this time my doe had quite a lot of a waxy substance that would plug the teat but would pop out fine. She has just started to produce it again. I looked it up and this is what I came up with.
Streak Canal -- Keratin
The teat end and streak canal is a transition zone. Skin on the exterior of the teat extends around and up into the teat end opening a short distance and there it is modified to form the lining of the streak canal. This modified skin continuously produces a waxy material, termed keratin, that lines the streak canal opening and provides several functions.

The keratin lining is thought to trap bacteria in the surface of this waxy material and stops their movement through the streak canal into the teat cistern. There are some bacteria species that appear capable of growing in the keratin but their movement through the streak canal is likely slowed down. When a cow is milked, the rapid flow of milk through the streak canal shears off some of the keratin buildup and with it goes some of the bacteria that may be stuck in the material. They are flushed out. The process of milking therefore removes some of the keratin at each milking and this appears to help limit bacterial entry into the udder. Between milkings keratin again is deposited in the streak canal.
This is on moomilk.com.
I found it is like a soft waxy substance and will float it water. I tried it. It smears like soft wax and yes I tasted it and it tastes like wax. I don't know why my doe seems to produce more of it this time of year. Also one side seems to produce a little more than the other side. Also they can be up a 1/2 inch long like a string.

[mom25kiddles]

Thank you all so much... a treasure of information!!! I'm so glad this is a *normal* occurence!!! We are just getting the hang of goats (and are loving it), but we still have many holes in our knowledge base, as you can see!!

Carmen