Udder and teat conformation are important in beef cattle as they are in dairy cattle. Poor teats and mammary gland in beef cows equate to dollars lost to increased labor, lower weaning weights, and possible increase in sickness in the calves. Large balloon-shaped teats and poor udder suspension can result in calves that can't latch on to the teat to nurse, and in some management situations, the teats may be muddy, causing increased sickness in the calves.
The ideal udder is one that is snuggly attached close to the body cavity, the floor is level as viewed from the side, and the four quarters are evenly balanced. The four teats are squarely under each quarter. Teat size and teat length are important. Teat size should be about the diameter of an average person's little finger or pointer finger and about one-half the length of the little finger or less. There is a universal udder and teat scoring system, 5 = best, 1= worst. As cows get older, scores generally decrease (get worse). A low udder score in a young female is likely grounds for culling, especially if replacements are retained from within your herd.
