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In cows, shortly before calving, the udder is poured - this is one of the characteristic signs that allow you to carefully prepare for the appearance of the calf. Particular attention should be paid to heifers. They need to be properly looked after - to drink, feed, and also massage the udder so that it pours, accustoming the animal to milking and avoiding milk stagnation.
What is the udder of a first-calf
The future mammary gland of the first heifer is laid at the embryonic stage. In parallel with the development and achievement of puberty by the animal, the size of the udder also grows, alveoli appear in it. In the early stages, the mammary gland is enlarged by adipose and connective tissue. In its structure, there are:
- 4 lobes with cylindrical nipples at the end;
- 3 types of fabric;
- vessels and capillaries;
- alveoli, cisterns, canals and ducts.
At first, there is only 1 small cavity in the udder lobe. In this state, it remains until the age of 6 months of the individual. Ducts depart from the cavity. The glandular tissue is not yet developed.
A first-calf is a one-year-old individual. She was a stranger to calving. Her puberty begins at 9 months, the animal's hormonal system changes. At this time, the alveoli begin to grow, the number of ducts increases. Milk tanks and small tubules also develop, through which, when the udder is poured, milk enters it. Each lobe of the gland has a cistern.
Milk is produced in the alveoli, which are like small blood vessels. The anterior and posterior lobes are separated by a septum and develop unevenly. Up to 40% of milk is collected in tanks and canals.
Udder capacity holds up to 15 liters. Milk accumulates between milkings and is retained by capillaries, special sphincters and a special arrangement of channels.
The correct formation of the mammary gland and its productivity is assisted by massage performed for 12 - 15 minutes. Heifers (nulliparous young cows) must first be accustomed to it.
When the udder begins to grow in the first heifer
Cattle bear offspring for about 285 days, plus / minus 10 days. The udder of a first-calving heifer increases before calving, becomes heavier and larger - it is poured. Changes will be visible on visual inspection.
At 4 - 5 months of pregnancy (pregnancy), oxytocin begins to stimulate the active work of the alveoli, the place of adipose tissue is gradually taken by the glandular tissue. The number of nerve endings and blood vessels increases. The changes become very noticeable from the 7th month, when the udder is full. The process goes on almost until calving.
By the color of the liquid escaping from the teats, one can judge the stages of udder development. In the early stages of pregnancy (pregnancy), a clear liquid appears, at the 4th month it becomes straw-yellow in color. The second half of pregnancy is characterized by the fact that the secretory cells begin to act more actively. The liquid becomes viscous, by the 7th month, when you press on the nipple, a cream-colored secret can sometimes be released from it, which then turns into colostrum (30 days before calving).
Signs of a cow before calving by the udder
Noticeable changes occur a few days before delivery. Cow's udder before calving:
- noticeably increases and pours;
- colostrum is excreted from the nipples.
The heifer stops milking at about 7 months of pregnancy. This is necessary so that the lactation process intensifies after calving. You need to closely monitor the condition of the mammary gland. The udder begins to fill up and the main task is to prevent the formation of edema, inflammation or mastitis.
This problem can arise due to an excessive amount of succulent forage (silage) or a lack of regular grazing. It is imperative to get rid of the edema. A light massage of the udder, which should be done during pregnancy and directly on the day of calving, will help in this. First, they simply stroke the animal so that it gets used to it, and then every quarter of the udder is massaged from bottom to top for no more than 5 minutes.
Adult heifers stop milking 60 days before giving birth, and heifers a little earlier, 65 - 75 days, even if the amount of milk has not decreased.
The udder is also filled during the milk period, which lasts about 100 days in first-calf heifers.
Conclusion
Determining how many days before calving the udder of a cow is poured, and how long it remains enlarged, is not difficult. How much an animal drinks, what it eats, and how often it grazes during pregnancy is an important factor. Massage must be done, and not only in order to accustom the first heifer to milking, but also to prevent milk stagnation, which can lead to inflammation of the mammary gland.
During pregnancy, heifers should gradually stop milking them, reducing the number of milkings to zero and thereby adjusting the lactation process (start the cow).
How to milk a cow correctly, you can watch the video
I read everything, but the article was written by a completely incompetent person. First heifers, heifers are not milked until calving. They simply do not have milk. Milk only from cows