Teat condition scoring is a practical welfare monitoring tool in dairy herds that identifies milking machine-associated tissue damage, a source of pain and mastitis risk that is often preventable.
Teat end hyperkeratosis represents physical damage to the teat canal caused by the repeated mechanical trauma of milking. Cows with severe teat end changes have damaged tissue at the teat apex, providing a route for infection and causing discomfort during milking. The association between teat condition and mastitis means that poor teat scoring reflects an increased risk of the painful disease that is the most common production disease in dairy cattle. Regular teat scoring and prompt investigation of causes when scores are poor protects both teat health and systemic welfare.