[Jacob-list] Extra Teat

[ranchrat at telusplanet.net]

Heel low: 

I have a four teated Jacob ewe here.  She was open this year...so no idea if 
all four are functioning but I do know that one of the sheep publications I get 
did a study on 2+ teated sheep...one fellow out my way was all full of himself 
that he has developed a three teated sheep (calls them Bergen Sheep) which 
SUPPOSEDLY would assist the 2+ lamb birthing bummer lamb incidents.  The study 
showed that it is irrelevant the number of teats on a sheep...the milk 
production remains the same and in my view, there is only "room" at the milk 
bar for two heads at once...no matter the number of functioning sprigots it 
gets progressively crowded! 

I suspect extra teats is an easily inherited feature, seeing that many who have 
2+ teated Jacobs also see it occuring in the progeny.  If a high percentage of 
my flock had extra teats, I would investigate the historical rams 
closely...they might be the reason for the prevalance of the trait.  My female 
ACDogs have ten teats, but only eight functioned on the one I had bred...her 
daughter inherited the same but has yet to nurse puppies. 

Agreed that mastitis would make one concerned about whether the extra teats 
were functioning for milking out procedures and risk of infection.  I would 
wonder if "snipping" off extra teats would be all that beneficial if the teat 
actually IS part of a separate milk chamber system...if you did have to milk 
the sheep out...what would one do having removed the access to it?  I would 
presume the chamber would still produce milk, but then would have no way to 
expel the product properly and could result in more problems than you bargained 
for. 

Doggone if it's not broke, don't fix it, 

Tara Lee Higgins 
-- 
     ____(\                Tara Lee Higgins                  /)____ 
    (_____~>        Rat Ranch - An ACD is for LIFE          <~_____) 
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    \                       Alberta Canada                         / 
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