TEAT & UDDER RESEARCH
Teat size and udder suspension are essential traits to the productivity of our cows.
Measuring Teat Size and Udder Suspension
The TEAT and UDDR research EPDs were released on August 22, 2024.
What is the purpose?
The teat size (TEAT) and udder suspension (UDDR) research 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, caution is needed not to reach undesirable extremes.
Maximize Maternal: An EPD and $M Update
Get the research TEAT and UDDR Research EPDs for Your Herd
Breeders can access the research TEAT and UDDR EPDs by collecting scores on dams at the time of calving and submitting scores to Angus Herd Improvement Records® (AHIR).
Research EPDs are not updated weekly, but instead periodically as data is submitted. Data submitted between now and the next research EPD update will be included in the next update.
Find A.I. Sires with TEAT and UDDR Research EPDs
All members have access to a list of A.I. Sires with these research EPDs.
How-To: Udder Scoring Cattle
Frequently Asked Questions
A research EPD is a prelude to a production EPD. Expected progeny differences (EPDs) delivered to members every Friday are production EPDs. These EPDs are fully functioning in weekly evaluations, are printed on registration certificates, and can be included in custom reports built through AAA Login.
A research EPD is a single analysis delivered to the membership enabling the Association to get feedback as a trait is under development prior to going to “production”. A research EPD does not get updated weekly but can be updated periodically as more data flows into the database. Once more data is collected, the evaluation will become even more robust, and the research EPD can be moved to production.
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.
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.
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. There are approximately 148,000 scores for each trait.
As research EPDs, TEAT and UDDR will not be incorporated into the maternal weaned calf value ($M). Current research is ongoing to determine the economic impact of these new EPDs and how they could potentially be incorporated in $M when TEAT and UDDR move to production EPDs in the future.
