As beef breeds begin to place more emphasis on recording teat and udder scores, the Beef Improvement Federation has established standardized guidelines for the scoring process. With the spring calving season around the corner, it's time to get the calving book ready for recording calving dates, birth weights, etc. But you might consider adding an extra column to the data you collect this year - teat and udder scores for the cow. Sure, you've likely tracked those cows with "bad bags" in the past and culled them after weaning. However, because most udder and teat characteristics appear to be heritable, seedstock producers are being encouraged to score teat size and udders for the entire herd and use the information in future selection decisions.
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