THE INFLUENCE OF THE AGE OF HEIFERS’ FIRST INSEMINATION ON MORPHOFUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF COWS’ UDDER
The purpose of the study was to analyze the morphological and functional udder properties of first-calf heifers and cows in the 3d lactation, depending on the influence of the age of their first fertilization. The results of analysis of findings, obtained on a number of farms involved in the study, showed that the best morphological-functional udder properties were observed in first-calf heifers with the bath-shape udder, first inseminated at the age of 15-16 months. With age, the functional properties of udder are improving, this confirming the fact that the animals continue to grow and develop during the periods of the 1st and 2nd lactations and they reach physiological maturity at the period of the 3d and later lactations. Besides, the degree of age influence of the first insemination on the functional properties of the udder varied by 29.6-43.7%, depending on the type of farm enterprise. It was found that a delay in heifers insemination led to worsening of morphological and functional properties of their udders and, consequently, to decrease of milk production. On the contrary, early insemination of heifers increased their productive qualities.