The relationship between udder characteristics and milk quality in Iraqi awassi ewes

The main objectives of this study were to determine udder measurements and type, test-day milk yield and milk composition, somatic cell count and total bacterial count, and to evaluate the relationships between these characteristics in Iraqi Awassi ewes. The study was conducted on 50 head Awassi ewes raised at a commercial farm located in Summel/Duhok/Iraq. Test-day milk yield was recorded fortnightly from second week after parturition for three times. Milk samples were analyzed for fat, solid non-fat, protein, and lactose components. Udder morphological traits recorded in the study were udder width, udder circumference, udder length, teat diameter, teat length, distance between teats, udder height from the ground, teat height from the ground. Udder types in ewes were determined by subjective method. Total bacterial count and somatic cell count (SCC) in milk samples was determined. As a result, udder type had no significant effect on test-day milk yield, SCC, and milk composition traits in Iraqi Awassi ewes. There were positive and negative but rather weak correlations between udder measurements and milk composition traits. Only udder length measurement from udder traits was significantly correlated with SCC (p<0.05). It was found that Iraqi Awassi ewes had a healthy mammary gland and consumable milk due to their low SCC (39.20 x103 cells/ml) and bacterial content. Since there is an increased risk of infection due to contact with the ground, ewes which have the cylindrical udder with upward and lateral teats can be selected instead of ewes which have the pear-shaped udder with downwards and inclined teats.