# extra teats



## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

My first ( and only, so far) boers both (male and female) have extra teats, right next to, but not attached to the normal ones. This is my fault. Inexperienced and didn't think to look when I bought them (buck was 8 weeks old and doe was 5 months). I'm trying hard not to think ill of the breeder who sold them to me. He was friendly and very helpful in many ways. The extra teats seem well formed.

How big a deal is this? I'm never going to be a breeder or show goats. My intent was to breed up a generation or two and then sell them for meat.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

boer goats can have 4 well separated teats. lots of the champs and African boers have 4. just as long as they arent attached to each other theyre showable...


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Billmac this is very common with Boers and not a bad thing at all. Dont chide yourself or the breeder. 
As a matter of fact, SA breeders prefer 4 seperate teats. More room at the table for multiple births dont you know. 
I have 4, 3 & 2 teaters. The 4 teated does are much better mothers in regards to raising trips.
One of my two teated does I have had to work with cause she tends to reject the smallest of trips. 
One of her 2 teated FF daughters this yr had quads. She had her hands(?) full but did fine with a little supplement on the smallest one. 
This is where I will jump on a soapbox any day to stop breeding for 2 teated Boers when they commonly throw trips. 
To go on, we are not breeding dairy goats we are breeding for meat. That third weakest/smallest kid is going to be knocked off the two faucets every time. He will get weaker without intervention.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Yep...it's not a fault in boers unlike most breeds.


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

I wouldn't call these 4 separate teats, spaced like a cow's. They are certainly separate, but they are right next to each other, like my ring finger and pinkie.


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## powderhooves (Jan 30, 2009)

I have that on several of my little bucklings this year. I wethered all of them. Because of Chloe's cleft palate I'm wethering the buck. I think it comes from him. All have beautiful fleeces and I don't need to freshen my goats so all is well. I did have a doe with triple nipples and surprisingly she is the best mom I have. Go figure. I thought it was going to be a huge problem and I didn't want her bred.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> boer goats can have 4 well separated teats. lots of the champs and African boers have 4. just as long as they arent attached to each other theyre showable...


 :thumbup: they sound perfect to me... the way you are describing.....Katrina is right on showing and all.....The ABGA... allows 2+2 clean teat structure.....the breeder sold you very nice goats....they are of show quality teat structure...... :greengrin: 
if they are to close( clustered) that is very bad ...because the kids have a hard time nursing and milking them out... is a night mare ...also the fused teats are bad to.....past history with me......they where a pain... :help: :doh: ..now I only have clean teats... :thumbup:

Anywayz... the way you are describing ......it is perfectly fine....no worries.... :wink:


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