Pathological Anatomy of the Udder. 



vein. It runs bilaterally of the median line, penetrates posteriorly 

 and laterally to the xiphoid cartilage of the breast bone into the 

 deeper parts and then empties into the internal thoracic vein. 



The lymph vessels which are very numerous enter two large 

 lymph glands which lie bilaterally in a depression at the posterio- 

 superior portion of the udder and are known as the supramam- 

 mary lymph glands. The lymph passes thence to the lumbar 

 glands and into the thoracic duct. 



The nerves originate from the lumbar plexus. The udder is 

 supplied by the internal branch of the ilio-hypogastric nerve, the 

 external branch of the lumbo-inguinal nerve, and the external 

 spermatic nerve. In the goat the external spermatic nerve divides 

 in the abdominal cavity into three branches, of which the median 

 and the caudal branches pass through the inguinal ring to the 

 udder. The cephalic branch passes to the abdominal muscles. 

 The caudal branch (inferior) is purely a vascular branch. The 

 median branch passes to the udder, and ramifies to the milk ducts 

 and the teats. 



Pathological Anatomy of the Udder. 



Of the pathological processes which are of importance from 

 a practical standpoint, the inflammations and changes which have 

 more or less influence on the quality of the milk are of special in- 

 terest. The other anomalies will be mentioned only briefly. 



Not infrequently there may be present in cows supernumerary 

 teats, or supernumerary milk glands, which may be considered as 

 a reversion to early stages in the evolution of cattle. Usually two 

 rudimentary formations occur which are generally situated behind 

 the posterior normal glands and normal teats. These may at times 

 yield milk (Burkart, Dauberton). These accessory glands may 

 also occur between the normal teats. In several instances as many 

 as four supernumerary teats were observed. 



If the udder is abnormally small in its development or is en- 

 tirely absent, it constitutes hypoplasia or aplasia of the udder. 

 According to Bosetti the absence of the mammary gland was ob- 

 served in a cow two and a half years old. Although there were 

 four small teats on the skin, no milk was secreted even after the 

 birth of a healthy calf. The milk veins were well developed on 

 both sides. 



The opposite condition, hypertrophy of the udder, with or 

 without secretion, is most conspicuous in male animals. Pusch ob- 

 served a buck which produced 70 gm. of colostrum-like milk daily, 

 and which possessed nipples 7 to 9 cm. in length. Grurlt has re- 

 ported that the udder of a steer was as strongly developed as in 

 a cow, and produced daily iy 2 liters of secretion. 



It is known that newly born kids and suckling colts occasion- 

 ally secrete milk for several days (Gurlt, Martin, Hess, Ibel). 



Schmidt, of Dresden, reported a giant udder with an entirely 



