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Short Communication: Correlations Between Udder Morphology, Milk Yield, and Milking Ability with Different Milking Frequencies in Dairy Goats

J. Capote^*, A. Argüello^,1, N. Castro, J. L. López and G. Caja

^* Canary Agronomic Science Institute, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Department of Animal Science, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria University, Arucas 35416, Spain
Departament de Ciencia Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain

¹ Corresponding author: aarguello{at}dpat.ulpgc.es

Tinerfeñ a breed goats were assigned to 2 experimental herds and milked once (n = 28) or twice (n = 24) daily to study correlations between udder morphology, milk yield, and milking ability during the middle stage of the first lactation. Pearson correlation coefficients were significantly higher between yield and measures of udder globulousness (udder volume, r = 0.79 and r = 0.59; perimeter of insertion of the udder, r = 0.47 and r = 0.37; distance between teats, r = 0.77 and r = 0.28, for goats milked once and twice daily, respectively) than for length parameters (cistern floor distance, r = 0.40 and r = –0.29; udder depth, r = –0.20 and r = 0.20). The globulousness of the udder was correlated with easier milking ability, as shown by milk fractioning (r = 0.49 to 0.70) and milk flow measures (r = 0.32 to 0.49). The results showed that the globulousness of the udder is more important than length measurements in assessing milk yield and milking ability.

Key Words: udder morphology • milk yield • milk flow • milk fractioning