196 Udder and teat score changes with advancing age in crossbred beef cows and heifers

Abstract

Abstract Udder suspension and teat scores assess mammary organ conformation at calving. Study objectives were to evaluate udder and teat score changes with advancing age in crossbred beef cattle. Fall- (n = 436) and spring-calving (n = 394) Bos taurus crossbred primiparous heifers (n = 87) and multiparous cows (n = 743) in Prairie, MS were assigned udder (1 to 9 scale: 1 = very pendulous, 9 = very tight) and teat (1 to 9 scale: 1 = very large, 9 = very small) scores with 24 h of parturition. Effects of calving season (FALL: August through October; SPRING: February through April) and age (HEIFER: < 3 yr; YOUNG: 3 to 5 yr; MID: 6 to 10 yr; OLD: > 10 yr) and their interaction on annual change in teat and udder scores were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX of SAS. Udder score change was not affected by season (P = 0.92) or age x season interaction (P = 0.37) but was influenced by age (P < 0.01). Udder score annual decrease was greater (P < 0.01) for HEIFER (-1.4 ± 0.3) than YOUNG (-0.3 ± 0.2), MID (-0.3 ± 0.2) or OLD (-0.3 ± 0.4). Likewise, teat score change was not affected by season (P = 0.50) or age x season interaction (P = 0.26) but was influenced by age (P < 0.01). Teat score annual decrease was greater (P < 0.01) for HEIFER (-1.5 ± 0.3) than YOUNG (-0.5 ± 0.2) or MID (-0.4 ± 0.2) but not different (P = 0.14) from OLD (-0.8 ± 0.3). Teat score change was not different (P = 0.23) among YOUNG, MID, and OLD. Results suggest that udder and teat scores change the subsequent year at a more rapid rate in heifers than in cows up to 10 yr of age.