DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 293 



BLOCKED OR CLOSED TEATS. 



This is quite a common trouble among dairy cows, and is due 

 to various causes, such as warty growths, fleshy growths, thick- 

 ening of the mucus membrane, calculus, etc. In some cases the 

 little warty or fleshy growth can be felt by squeezing the teat. 

 Many a valuable cow has been made to lose one or more quarters 

 by this trouble. It is generally first noticed Avhen the cow comes 

 in. On trying to milk, her, no milk can be gotten from the af- 

 fected quarter, and the general procedure is to run a knitting 

 needle or the like up the teat to try and force an opening. You 

 can generally force an opening, but it will close right up again. 

 You may get a little milk from the teat, but it swells up for a 

 few days and then gradually dries up and withers away, and will 

 not fill up again until the next calf. 



Fig. 57. Teat Slitter, for opening closed (blind) teats in cows. 



Treatment. The milking tube should be inserted, but if there 

 is a fleshy or warty growth in the teat, the teat slitter (Fig. 57) 

 should be inserted and an opening be made -through the growth 

 with the little knife on the side near the end, and then the milk- 

 ing tube inserted and used until the cut surface heals around the 

 cavity. If this is done in time a great many cases can be saved. 

 But as a general thing treatment is not successful, and the teat 

 will dry up. 



