Ultrasonography of the Bovine Udder and Teat

Ultrasonography is a noninvasive technique for examining the bovine udder and teats. It is performed in the standing animal using a high frequency scanner (7.5–10.0 MHz) for examination of the teat structures (teat canal, rosette of Fuerstenberg, teat cistern, gland cistern) and a 5.0 MHz probe for examining the glandular parenchyma. Ultrasonography is a helpful tool to diagnose pathologic alterations of the udder such as inflammation, mucosal lesions, tissue proliferation, foreign bodies, milk stones, congenital changes, hematoma, and abscess. However, ultrasonography of the teat allows for the localization and demarcation of the extent of pathologic changes and therefore is an important additional diagnostic examination technique.