As part of last week’s study guide, author Joe Corroon asked students three questions in relation to the topic covered, please find answers below:
Q1. Give three reasons why pendulous udders are undesirable?
Answer: Pendulous udders are more prone to mastitis (being closer to the ground) and injuries. There can be difficulties putting on the clusters at milking.
Q2. Why are teats sprayed with iodine? When/ where else is iodine used on the farm?
Q3. What is the physiology of milk let-down?
Answer: The cow receives an external physical stimulus (sight, sound, smell of her calf). This sends a signal to the brain via nerves. The Pituitary gland in the brain releases Oxytocin into the blood. This reaches the udder and squeezes the milk out of the ducts into the gland cistern. When the calf suckles or the clusters put on, the cow relaxes the muscle at the end of the teat canal and allows milk let-down.
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