Side hole in teat

[Monty]

We've just had a heifer calve and annoyingly there is milk dribbling out the side of one teat. We were hoping to sell her in a week or two. Is there anything to do to seal it up or it is it best left alone?

 

[Beef farmer]

Leave alone and milk her yourself

 

[borderterribles]

If you sell her, you will have to declare it as a fault or risk having the purchaser spin her back to you. My first job was with a man who's family were dairy dealers. He told me that they would often cauterise sets with a cigarette to seal them, but I have never seen it done.

 

[Spudley]

We've had a few of these over the years. They usually leak a bit when they're really fresh but pretty much stop within a few weeks and I've never seen one get mastitis because of it. Saying that, I'd never sell one like that without declaring it. But there's a surprisingly strong market for 3/4 or weak quartered cows so depends how desperate you are to sell.

 

[Cowmansam]

I’ve had a few does the teat look normal apart from that if so they usually stop after a while if they are shaped with a bend to where the hole is they don’t normally milk out right I’d definitely declare it