Definition

1. Noun:
   • The mammary gland of female cattle, sheep, goats, and some other mammals: An udder is a single, bag-like organ, usually with two or more teats, that produces and secretes milk. It is typically associated with farm animals like cows, ewes, and nanny goats.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer checked the cow's udder for signs of infection before milking.
  • A healthy udder is essential for the production of clean milk.
  • The goat's udder was full of milk in the morning.

Advanced Usage

• "Udder health": A term used in veterinary medicine and animal husbandry referring to the condition and well-being of the mammary gland, particularly regarding the absence of disease like mastitis.
  • Good hygiene is crucial for maintaining udder health in dairy herds.

Variants and Related Words

• Udderless (adj): Lacking an udder. (This is a rare and technical term.)
• Teat (n): The nipple of the udder from which the milk is drawn.
  • The calf suckled from the teat.

Synonyms

• Mammary gland: The biological term for the milk-producing organ in all female mammals.
• Bag: An informal, non-technical term sometimes used for an udder, especially in farming contexts.

Notes on Meaning

• The word udder is specific to certain animals. While all female mammals have mammary glands, the term "udder" is not typically used for humans, primates, or cats and dogs. For those, terms like "breasts" or "mammary glands" are used.
• It is almost always used in the singular form, even though it consists of multiple sections (quarters in cows). One refers to , not .

Noun

1. mammary gland of bovids (cows and sheep and goats)