Teat Condition Scoring as a Management Tool for Monitoring Udder Health.

When the end of the teat is smooth and undamaged, and the skin is soft and elastic, the teat can ensure its function, as a natural barrier against the intrusion of microorganisms that cause mastitis. Any type of stress applied to a teat, even for a very short period of time can cause the teat's inherent ability to withstand bacterial stress to decrease. Teat skin dryness may favour the development of teat-end hyperkeratosis, a condition that, in turn, increases the likelihood of new intra-mammary infections in dairy cows. This condition also causes pain and discomfort for the cows, thus leading to a decline in milk production. Monitoring the level of teat end hyperkeratosis using a four-point system as well as other types of teat lesions in a dairy herd, on a consistent basis, may be an extremely helpful management tool for determining whether or not the milking routine is appropriate and the risk of mastitis is controllable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]