# Fore udder attachment



## SecoCreek (Jan 27, 2010)

I have a one year old, first freshener who has a lovely rear udder and attachment but I would like to see a more extended fore udder. Is that something that can develop with each freshening, or is that the fore udder attachment she will always have?

Thanks,
Kelsey


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Alot of young milkers don't have the foreudder they will when older. As the body matures and deepens the foreudder can smooth out. But don't fool yourself into thinking a pocket will fill out. If the udder goes up into the body, or you can stick your fingers and there back towards the body, pockets are never going to fix themselves, they just get worse with age. Vicki


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## [email protected]ojo (Sep 18, 2008)

Muscle attachment stays the same (or gets worse :/ ) with age. Capacity can improve...and also put more stress on attachments. And teat size, if small, can improve...or if large, get worse. 

I have a third freshener who has pretty bad attachment and fairly large teats. :/ Half the problem is capacity. As a FF she milked 8-9# a day. Last year she had mastitis and was only milking one side pretty much and still getting 5-6# a day. This year her udder is even again and I am *trying* to hold her at a max of 8# a day. She is one month fresh and we haven't hit 9#...a couple of 8.5 days. :/ I'm also thinking of milking her through and only breeding when she drops below ?? (haven't decided yet). 


ETA: (posting same time as Vicki)


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

What is that pocket anyway? I had one one the doe I just put down. I could fit my whole hand in there.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

It's a simple lack of attchment Cindy.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

How easy is that to breed out?


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

doublebowgoats said:


> How easy is that to breed out?


I was wondering the same thing. Is it hereditary?


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't know how easy it is to breed out. Hucklberry is the doe whose line gave us foreudders in our herd. 

Interesting note: CH Price O The Field Lady Regina had an acceptable fore udder but nothing special until her 3rd freshening at age of 4. That year she bloomed out and the fore extension grew by 4-5 inches. After that, she won National or Reserve Best udder at least 3 if not 4 times. She also was Reserve National Champion that year.


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## SecoCreek (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks everyone. I really am enjoying this thread. She does not have a pocket, just no noticeable fore udder at all. Her dam and paternal granddam had beautiful udders. Her dam is CH KJ-Martin Penny Royal and her paternal granddam is SGCH Kastdemur's FS Santa Cruz 10*M. I have high expectations for her and am just a little disappointed. She has only been fresh for 3 weeks though, so I should probably just relax and give her some time. :sigh


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

Interesting (actually shocking) you are disappointed with your girl. I own her twin sister and am THRILLED with everything about her. She is one heck of a doe. Won her class at the State Fair (over 20 does in it) and placed top 5 the only other show I have taken her in. She is a foundation doe in my herd. As others have stated, fore-udders usually take a few freshenings to develop. I think you have unrealistic expectations to expect a first freshner- especially one bred as a yearling- to bust out with an udder with all the bells and whistles. I would buy her from you in a heartbeat!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Snap a photo of her fore for us. V


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## SecoCreek (Jan 27, 2010)

I probably shouldn't have used the word "disappointed." I really like this doe! Janie, if you are reading this please don't think I am not happy with her. She has great conformation, body capacity, and dairy character. I was just curious about her fore udder development. I have other first fresheners that have a more extended fore udder. As I said, she is only three weeks fresh. I hope that she will be one of our top does and she is definitely NOT for sale!


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## SecoCreek (Jan 27, 2010)

Here are two pics taken prior to milking tonight.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

We all have seen sisters, one fabulous, one medicore. It's not a very good or excellent foreudder, her sister being better or not isn't a factor for your doe or your herd. You can keep her for a brood doe, hoping the genetics are there. No herd has 100% of their does come into show udders. In fact the curse of the junior champion includes goats who could sell for $1200 who are sold as a family milker when she freshens with a bad udder. No breeder is going to take offense, we can't see 35 points of the udder when our stock is sold as kids.


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## Pam V (Jan 3, 2009)

Did anyone find out how likelyit is that this can be bred out? I have a FF who freshened with a disappointing foreudder....and her twin sister had a nice smooth one as did her sibling born the year before.
Keep her offspring in hope of a better udder or is it a dominate trait that will haunt us every year?


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

It can be bred out, providing you find the right buck. It will take more than 1 generation most of the time. That was my biggest problem with my original herd and it did eventually go away. Now I am starting all over again!


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## Ziggy (Nov 13, 2009)

> We all have seen sisters, one fabulous, one medicore. It's not a very good or excellent foreudder, her sister being better or not isn't a factor for your doe or your herd. You can keep her for a brood doe, hoping the genetics are there. No herd has 100% of their does come into show udders. In fact the curse of the junior champion includes goats who could sell for $1200 who are sold as a family milker when she freshens with a bad udder.


So true Vicki!

That is why I keep any decent kids and breed them to freshen as yearling. Only then I can tell who goes as a home milker and who stays (to hopefully) win shows.


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