Body type and morphological indicators of the udder of red-motley cows in the Republic of Khakassia

Relevance . Creating a highly productive dairy herd of cattle, characterized by good health and a long service life, suitable for industrial milk production technology, is impossible without a systematic assessment of animals based on the exterior and morphofunctional properties of the udder. Methods . The research was carried out in 2023 in the breeding reproducer of “Tselinnoye” LLC, Shirinsky district. The exterior was studied in cows of the first, second, third and older lactation, as well as on the herd average by measuring body measurements and calculating body composition indices. The assessment of the morphological properties of the udder of the studied cows was carried out at 2–3 months of lactation, 1–1.5 hours before milking. Results . In terms of the size of the exterior measurements, red-motley cows correspond to the indicators of the desired type (on average for the herd, height at the withers is 136.15 cm, chest depth is 74.60 cm, chest width is 43.83 cm, chest girth is 198.45 cm, oblique length of the body — 159.57 cm, width at the hip joints — 53.50 cm, at the hip joints — 50.58 cm, oblique length of the butt — 53.55 cm, semi-circumference of the butt — 107.20 cm, metacarpus circumference — 19.54 cm), according to body indexes, they are characterized by a milk-meat body type (extension index — 117.25%, chest — 58.78%, hip-thoracic — 82.07%, tightness — 124.54%). The udder measurements are quite large (length — 44.48 cm, width — 34.42 cm, girth — 136.45 cm, depth of the anterior lobe — 31.72 cm, posterior — 31.30 cm), however, it is necessary to improve the uniformity of size and location nipples through selection for this trait.