Udder conformation in dairy cows: Function versus aesthetics

The development of the dairy cow into a commercial 'milking machine' has gathered momentum over the last 50 to 60 years.

- Poena van Niekerk

Initially, the dairy cow was a dual-purpose animal, and until as recently as 100 years ago the domestic cow was even used as a draught animal. During the day she ploughed the fields, and at night she was milked to feed the producer and his family.

In some cases, the dairy cow also served small communities. My father is always telling me about the cows that were kept in small towns. In Warden, where he grew up, every second or third house had a dairy cow. At night she slept in a kraal near the house and during the day she grazed the municipal pastures surrounding the town. Today's modern dairy cow looks completely different from those domestic cows, except perhaps for the colour patterns.

A biological milk factory

A well-known story in dairy circles is that of South Africa's first Jersey cow to deliver 20 000lb of milk within a 305-day lactation in the early 1970s. Her production figures made waves, and a tour was organised so that Jersey producers from the Free State could view this cow owned by Hennie Vermaak of Cookhouse.

Converted to metric units, this cow's production equalled 9 090kg of milk or 29ℓ/day. Today, some Jersey herds' average milk production per cow exceeds this level.

These volumes of milk require a biological 'factory' which is the cow's udder. Top Holstein cows produce between 60 and even 100% of milk daily. If a cow is milked three times a day, her udder can hold 20 to 30% of milk at any given time.

To carry this much weight and produce sustainably over a number of lactations, the udder must meet certain requirements.

A cow udder is divided into four quarters. In South Africa and Europe, all udder traits are rated on a scale of 1 to 9, whereas in the United States the scale ranges from 5 to 50.

Teats and teat placement