Anatomy Of Mammary Gland Flashcards
What are the 6 systems of the bovine udder?
1) support structures
2) blood supply
3) lymph system
4) nervous system
5) duct system
6) secretory-specialized epithelial cells arranged in alveoli
Bovine udder?
Bag like organ composed of mammary exocrine glands (common in most mammals)
What are the two minor support structures of the udder?
Skin - protective of abrasions and bacteria entry
Fascia - attaches to skin to underlying tissues
What are the major support structures of the udder?
Median (medial) suspensory ligament
Lateral suspensory ligament
What is the most important major support structure of the udder and why?
Median suspensory ligament
- great tensile strength
- composed of two heavy elastic sheets of tissue
- able to stretch
- located at center of gravity to give balanced suspension
- elasticity allows for greater increase in size as udder expands with milk
What allows the lateral suspensory ligament to give substantial support to the udder?
- mostly fibrous nonelastic tissue
- extends along both sides of udder
- attaches by many lamellae projections
- fuses with the median suspensory ligament
How can you determine how weak the suspensory ligaments are?
By looking for the intermammary groove
How many mammary glands typically exist in an udder?
4
The udder is separated into 2 halves by what structure?
Median suspensory ligament
How much milk do the rear and fore quarters of the udder produce?
Rear: 60%
Fore: 40%
What ligament separates the fore and rear quarters?
None; they have separate duct systems
Where does the blood supply enter the udder?
2 external pudic arteries
Where does the blood supply exit the udder?
External pudic veins
Subcutaneous abdominal veins
T/F: 400 gallons of blood is needed to pass through the udder to make 1 gallon of milk.
T
What organ is important for immune defense?
Supramammary lymph node
