Skin diseases of the bovine udder and teat
- Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson qualified from Edinburgh in 1960. He spent 16 years in general practice in Cambridgeshire before being appointed lecturer in veterinary obstetrics at Edinburgh. In 1980, he took up the post of university physician in the department of clinical veterinary medicine, Cambridge, where he has teaching and clinical responsibilities in medicine and reproduction. He was awarded the FRCVS in 1972 and the DVM&S in 1985.
Abstract
THE skin of the udder plays an important role in protecting the highly vascular and vulnerable mammary tissue. It is quite thin and in young animals is closely applied to the udder. The skin may reflect events - physiological and pathological - taking place in the body, especially those occurring within the udder. The teats are covered in specialised flexible and elastic skin, the epidermis of which is thicker than in other areas of the body. The epidermis is tightly attached to the underlying dermis and the teat is normally capable of withstanding minor trauma including sucking by the calf and milking by hand or machine. The skin of the teat is nonetheless quite delicate and vascular. It is readily susceptible to physical and other damage both within and outside the milking parlour.
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