THE HEIFER’S UDDER

Shannon News, 13 January 1925, Page 3

THE HEIFER’S UDDER

Well bred dairy heifers that have been well fed while carrying their first calf should freshen in good condition, but some may have caked udders. The whole udder may be caked, or one quarter or one side. Still others may have a round, hard place on the bottom or in the rear. Where Large seven-day records are desired, it is sometimes the practice to make no attempt to remove this swelling, trusting it will milk down and increase the per cent of fat. Where high protein feed is started too soon after calving with this kind of udder, these hard places never disappear. If one side is large or the swelling is low down in the rear, a tilted udder is the result.

If it is bulging on the bottom, a broken down udder is bound to follow going a little lower with each successive calving. In some cases it may go so low that it is not possible to mSlk the cow from one side. The result is no one wants such an animal to milk or for a breeder.

After studying the conditions that cause udders to lose their natural shape and get more deformed with each calving, we are interested to know how to check these conditions before the udder is ruined.

When a heifer’s ud#pr is badly swollen before calving, feed only light, laxative feeds for a few days before and after freshening, such aa bran, ground oats, oil meal, beet pulp, or fresh beets with good legume hay and silage. Having provided the right feeds, reduce the swelling in the udder as soon after freshening as possible. Plenty of good, hard rubbing and kneading with pressure enough so you can’ feel the tissue give way, will do wonders. Showering with cold water and painting the hard places once daily with iodine will help most cases. Next in importance is to get all the milk at all times. Good milkers always massage each quarter with one hand and milk with the other to bring down the last drop of milk. This is a quicker and more thorough way than thumb and finger stripping. Get the inflammation out soon after calving, and always get all the milk if you want good udders that will stand crowding for any kind of records. If you expect a heifer to do her best as a full cow, feed her liberally during this first lactation and as soon as her udder seems normal. If possible, milk her three times a day for at least part of her lactation.