I recently came across a fascinating article about a topic that might seem obvious but actually has some interesting facts - Do all cows have udders?

Turns out, not all cows have visible udders! Only female cows that have had a calf or are pregnant develop udders, since udders are there to produce milk for feeding their young. Heifers (young females who haven’t calved yet), infertile cows (called freemartins), and calves don’t have udders, just teats.

And what about males? Bulls, steers, and male calves don’t develop udders at all because they lack the hormones necessary for udder growth. But they do have nipples, just much less prominent than females!

This got me thinking about how important it is for us as dairy farmers to really understand the animals we care for. It also highlights how much the reproductive cycle influences not just milk production but physical traits we often take for granted.

I’d love to hear from you all — what’s the most surprising or useful fact you’ve learned about cattle on your farm? How do you explain this to new farmhands or visitors?

Let’s share our experiences and tips!