OMAHA (DTN) -- Gravity affects beef cattle as it does the human body. Over time, gravity takes hold in ways which are not desirable. This is especially true with beef cows' udders.

The perception for many is udder quality only matters with dairy cattle production. Udder quality is also important with beef cattle, according to extension specialists.

The best time to evaluate udder quality in beef cattle is at calving or shortly after. With the udder full of milk, it is easy to see teat size and structure. Udder and teat issues could lead to mastitis and thus smaller calves at weaning time.

WATCH UDDERS AT CALVING TIME

A recent Kansas State University (KSU) Extension article takes a closer look at assessing udder quality: https://extension.k-state.edu/….

KSU Extension veterinarian Brad White said he advises cow-calf producers to keep a record regarding udder quality at calving. This can be used as a reference later when making culling decisions.

"In the fall when you check for pregnancy, the udder may look fine, so it is good to be able to refer to your notes to make sure there weren't any concerns with the udder condition during calving time," White said.

When assessing udder quality, KSU Extension veterinarian Brian Lubbers looks at the udder attachment, conformation and functionality.

As cows get older, some of the ligaments that hold the udder in place will begin to break down, causing the udder to hang low and making it more susceptible to an injury. Lubbers said producers need to look at the teat size to be sure that they are not abnormally large, making it difficult for the calf to nurse.

Producers also need to observe the calves nursing to see how many quarters of the udder they can get milk from.

"If a cow has a severe case of mastitis, it may cause one or more of the quarters to no longer produce milk," Lubbers said, adding that this condition is caused by a bacterial infection in the mammary gland that impacts the teats.

MASTITIS: NEGATIVE FOR BOTH THE COW AND THE CALF

The effects of mastitis on both cows and calves are negative and long lasting, according to a report from Ohio State University (OSU) Extension: https://u.osu.edu/….

Mastitis is an infection, usually bacterial, of the milk-producing tissue.

A cow with a case of mastitis will typically have one or more affected quarters that are swollen and produce abnormal milk, according to the OSU report. The milk may be thick with clots, thin and watery, or may not look unusual depending on the infecting bacteria.

"Some cows exhibit signs of illness such as fever and anorexia (off feed) while others show no outward signs," the OSU report said. "Her calf may become weak and lethargic because of hunger since cows with mastitis do not produce much milk in the unaffected quarters."

Once the infection is over, the quarter is usually damaged and produces much less milk or dries up completely for the rest of the cow's life, according to the report.

Milk production in beef cattle is the most important factor affecting calf pre-weaning growth and subsequent body weight at weaning. Each additional pound of milk produced per day may increase calf pre-weaning weight 15 to 30 lbs.

With continuing high calf prices, cow-calf producers could be losing a significant amount of money due to the presence of mastitis in the herd's dams, which reduces milk production and milk quality.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension has a report detailing udder and teat scoring in beef cattle. The report can be found here: https://beef.unl.edu/….

Russ Quinn can be reached at Russ.Quinn@dtn.com

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