EFFECTS OF MILKING ON TEAT-END HYPERKERATOSIS: 1. MECHANICAL FORCES APPLIED BY THE TEATCUP LINER AND RESPONSES OF THE TEAT

摘要

Teat-end hyperkeratosis is a thickening of the skin that lines the teat canal and surrounds the external teat orifice. The condition is variously described as teat rings, teat flowers, teat erosion, callus formation, callosity, cornification or teat-end roughness. Histological examination of teat sections confirms that teat-end hyperkeratosis results from a localised hyperplasia of the Stratum corneum (Neijenhuis et al. 2001) or Stratum corneum and Stratum granulosum skin layers (Hamann et al. 1994). Therefore, descriptions such as "teat inversion", "teat eversion" or "prolapsed teats" are incorrect.