OUR UDDER SCORING SYSTEM

The dairy influence of the Kiko breed provides the high milk production needed to wean large kids. Unfortunately, the typical dairy goat udder is not the ideal meat goat udder. Certain udder characteristics cause serious problems for low-input meat goat producers. While large, bulbous teats are not a problem for dairy producers, kids cannot nurse distended teats, and the management needed to milk out problem does is cost-prohibitive. Large, pendulous udders drag and catch on blackberries, inhibiting the does' search for food.

Our farm is a proving grounds for udder quality. The nearby Willamette Valley floor produces much of the world's grass seed, as it is ideal for cool-weather grasses. However, our climate causes a springtime grass flush that boosts milk production, leading to blown udders in susceptible goats. 25% of our foundation animals had udder problems upon arrival here, despite having had no difficulties in their previous, drier California location.

Through rigorous culling, we have dramatically increased the quality of our udders over the last 8 years. We score all does for udder at kidding. Herdsire dams have multi-year records of good udder performance under our conditions.

5	Ideal udder, capacious, wide attachments, good support, two small, cylindrical teats.
4	Still a good udder, but not ideal.  Common for older does that scored 5 in their early years.
3	Minimum acceptable udder, might be a little saggy, or have larger, more conical teats – however, kids are still able to suck & no intervention is required.  Can stay in the herd but shouldn’t be used to produce herdsires.
2	Moderately pendulous or under-developed udder, or may have split, cluster, fish, or enlarged teats – but not bad enough to require intervention.  Will be removed from our production herd.
1	Seriously pendulous or under-developed udder, or split, cluster, fish, or blown teats that required intervention, or obviously will upon the next kidding.  Must be culled.