Udder ?

[Joy of Texas]

I have a cow that had her first calf last year. Out of the 4 quarters the calf only suck the back 2. I'm not sure if the front 2 ever had milk or not. Will they ever produce milk or are they dead quarters?She's due in a couple of months. Posting a picture to show her udders now. The front 2 are real high and the back 2 look normal.

 

[c farmer]

If her udder looked like that last year, then the front two a dead and I dont think will ever produce milk. I would send her packing.

 

[Caustic Burno]

With two dead quarters I would give her a ride to Wolf Brand Chili or cat food.

 

[bigbull338]

joy she is a 2 teated heifer.how did she do with her calf last year.now being a 2 teater she could have enough milk to raise a calf.

 

[milkmaid]

The front quarters might milk a little after calving, or they might not produce anything at all. Impossible to say for certain until she calves and you get your hands on her. Back quarters appear to be OK, and she might milk enough out of the back two quarters to raise a decent calf, but it's hard to say. Did she look like this last year, and if so how did her calf turn out? 2nd lactation animals usually do better than first lactation so she might do fine with this year's calf if you keep her.

The unbalanced udder might be genetic; I've seen some who just had a poorly balanced udder from the beginning, or it might be caused by mastitis. I'm inclined to think it's the first case, and she just isn't built well, since the front and back quarters each are evenly balanced, it's just the udder itself (udder floor) that isn't level.

 

[Beefy]

i had a heifer with an udder like that her first go around. only milk in the back quarters. she calved a bit early. the next year she milked normally and has ever since. has a nice bag now. if shes only a couple of months off, why not wait and see for yourself? otherwise you'll always wonder. you can always sell her as a pair later.

 

[Joy of Texas]

The front quarters might milk a little after calving, or they might not produce anything at all. Impossible to say for certain until she calves and you get your hands on her. Back quarters appear to be OK, and she might milk enough out of the back two quarters to raise a decent calf, but it's hard to say. Did she look like this last year, and if so how did her calf turn out? 2nd lactation animals usually do better than first lactation so she might do fine with this year's calf if you keep her.

The unbalanced udder might be genetic; I've seen some who just had a poorly balanced udder from the beginning, or it might be caused by mastitis. I'm inclined to think it's the first case, and she just isn't built well, since the front and back quarters each are evenly balanced, it's just the udder itself (udder floor) that isn't level.

Thanks all for thr replies.
Thanks Milkmaid,her mother was a tiger stripe with a beautiful bag. We kept this heifer and her sister out of this cow because she was a good mama.
This cow is not that friendly ,thats one reason I couldn't check her out. I'm not sure what to do with her. Her calf last year did not get enough to eat. So I sold him early.
I've asked different people and they pretty much say what ya'll said. Beefy,I talked to a couple of ranchers here that said what you have. The first year the cow didn't do that well. But the second calf was all normal. Let me ask you this beefy, when looking at the one you kept.Could you see her bag fill normally ? All 4 quarters full ?

 

[Beefy]

when she had her first calf, her back two looked like they had milk and the front did not. its like they just didnt have time to come into milk (remember mine was premature). then when she had her second calf she had a normal looking well balanced udder with all four quarters functioning. her first calf was a bit of a dink but subsequent calves have been great.

remember that the back quarters produce like 60% of the milk. it seems to me like the back quarters tend to develop first before the front ones but this is just an observation of mine.

i believe your young cows two front quarters will produce this lactation. it is uncommon for two front ones to be dead quarters in a heifer.

 

[Joy of Texas]

Well,I know I should listen to CB,but I guess I am going to wait a couple of more weeks and keep an eye on her. I hate to get rid of her .