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Methods of Collection and Lipid Composition of Teat Canal Keratin In Dry and Lactating Cows

Milk Secretion and Mastitis Laboratory, Livestock and Poultry Science Institute, US Department of Agriculture, ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705

Methods for collecting keratin from the teat canal were examined to select a procedure to obtain representative samples for lipid analysis. Data obtained by solvent extraction of excised teats were compared with those obtained by scraping keratin from dissected teats of lactating and dry cows. Solvent extraction with petroleum ether or 2:1 chloroform-methanol yielded similar dry weights of material. However, both solvents removed large amounts of material other than keratin from the teat canal. The lipid class and fatty acid profiles of the material extracted by solvent flushing were not similar to profiles obtained by scraping keratin from the teat canal. A metal tapestry needle was suitable for collection of keratin from the teat canal of living cows. About 78% of the keratin present in the teat was collected with the needle. Lipid composition of keratin collected with the needle was the same as in keratin scraped from excised teats. The tapestry needle was suitable as a tool for collecting repeatable, representative samples of keratin for analysis from single teat canals of living cows.