You can improve your cows milk-producing capacity by selecting bulls who rank highly for udder characteristics.
Udder depth: a characteristic which if appropriate will help a cow live out a long productive life. Ideally depth should not go beyond the hocks, as these cows tend to be predisposed to mastitis and stepping on their teats. Too shallow an udder however does not produce much milk therefore ideally depth should be somewhere in-between.
Udder texture: a characteristic which, when present, is representative of a superior production animal. Cows with lots of texture tend to be high producers. These udders are soft, pliable and elastic, and well collapsed after milking.
Median suspensory: the ligament which suspends the udder between the teats. In order for a cow to carry a large volume of milk, her median suspensory must be strong. Weak median suspensories can cause the teats to face outward and rupture can be the end of a cows productive life.
Fore udder attachment: should be strong to avoid teats becoming too close to the ground (and lead to mastitis) and to prevent teats from getting stepped on.
Teat placement: ideally teats will be at the centre of the quarter, and at the most dependant part of the udder. This is to prevent difficulties while milking.
Rear udder attachments: should ideally be high and wide, as both provide more strength for milk carrying capacity and provide structural longevity for the cows udder
Teat length: In Canada, ideal teat length is a function of milking ease, therefore ideal Ugandan teat length may be longer than ideal Canadian teat length due to the differences in hand versus machine milking. Ideally teats should be long enough to milk properly without causing teat sphincter muscle strain, yet short enough to prevent stepping on teats and related mastitis.
The four quarters should be even-looking.
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