Teat & Udder traits
Teat size and udder suspension are essential traits to the productivity of our cows.
A Step Forward for Maternal Selection Tools
The American Angus Association will be releasing three new EPDs aimed at maternal traits.
Measuring Teat Size and Udder Suspension
The Teat and UDDR EPDs were released in May 2025 and were built from a database of Teat Size and Udder Suspension scores provided by Angus breeders.
What is the purpose?
The teat size (Teat) and udder suspension (UDDR) EPDs predict expected differences in teat size and udder suspension scores when comparing progeny of different individuals under similar mating and raised on the same conditions.
How are the traits expressed?
Each trait is expressed in units of score (teat size or udder suspension score). A higher EPD will move the population towards scores of 9 for each trait, smaller teat size and tighter udder suspension.
While a higher EPD would lead to smaller teats and tighter udders over generations, breeders should be cautious of reaching undesirable extremes.
New Maternal Tools, Annual Updates | WEBINAR - May 23, 2025
Score Your Females
Collecting Teat Size and Udder Suspension scores can improve the accuracy of the Teat & UDDR EPDs in your herd. Scores should be collected within 24-hours of the female giving birth.
How-To: Udder Scoring Cattle
Teat and Udder FAQs
Phenotypes submitted by Angus breeders for teat size and udder suspension are included in the analysis alongside pedigrees and genotypes in the single-step model. Records from the Canadian Angus Association are also included in the evaluation.
Teat size and udder suspension scores should be collected within 24 hours of calf birth using the scoring guide from the Association. A dam can be scored at each calving and should be scored the same regardless of age. The scores are submitted alongside calving book data.
The detailed scoring guideline as well as more data recording instructions can be found on the Angus.org teat and udder research page under the Angus Herd Improvement Records® (AHIR) program or by clicking here.
Yes, teat size and udder suspension are two of twelve traits included in the Maternal Weaned Calf Value ($M). More information on how Teat and UDDR EPDs are incorporated into $M is available on the $Value Definitions page.
Each of these traits are moderately heritable.
The heritability of Teat is 0.32 and 0.28 for UDDR. The correlation between the two traits is 0.77, which supports modeling them together in a multiple trait model.
