Dairy CattleDairy Cattle Evaluation Evaluation

Why Judge Dairy Cattle?Why Judge Dairy Cattle?

Gain a better Gain a better understanding of what understanding of what

makes a productive and makes a productive and functional dairy cow functional dairy cow

Important Dairy Cow Important Dairy Cow CharacteristicsCharacteristics::

40%40% Mammary SystemMammary System

20% 20% Dairy CharacterDairy Character

15%15% FrameFrame

15%15% Feet & LegsFeet & Legs

10%10% Body CapacityBody Capacity

Most Most ImportantImportant

Least Least ImportantImportant

1- Mammary System 1- Mammary System 40 %40 %

A - Udder DepthA - Udder Depth

How high above the hock is the How high above the hock is the udder?udder?

1- Mammary System1- Mammary System

B - Teat placement & B - Teat placement & SizeSize

Where are the teats Where are the teats placed on the placed on the

quarters?quarters?

Teats should be Teats should be – about 2 inches longabout 2 inches long– CylindricalCylindrical– Placed squarely under Placed squarely under

each quartereach quarter Not to one side or Not to one side or

anotheranother

1- Mammary System1- Mammary System

C - Rear Udder Width & C - Rear Udder Width & HeightHeight

Rear udder width Rear udder width is measured at is measured at the attachmentthe attachment

The higher the The higher the rear udder the rear udder the better!better!

1- Mammary System1- Mammary System

D - Fore Udder &D - Fore Udder & Udder QualityUdder Quality

length & length & smoothness of the smoothness of the fore udder fore udder attachment attachment -Should attach -Should attach

smoothly into smoothly into abdomenabdomen

veining of the udder veining of the udder should be visibleshould be visible

1- Mammary System1- Mammary System

2 - Dairy Character 2 - Dairy Character 20%20%

What is dairy character?What is dairy character?

Does it look like a dairy cow or a Does it look like a dairy cow or a beef cow?beef cow?

A - Rib & Bone A - Rib & Bone

ribs that sweep ribs that sweep back toward the back toward the flankflank

Ribs that are Ribs that are wide apart and wide apart and flatflat

bone structure bone structure should be flat & should be flat & refinedrefined

2- Dairy Character2- Dairy Character

B - Cleanliness & AngularityB - Cleanliness & Angularity

Sharp Sharp withers, hips withers, hips & pins& pins

Clean down Clean down the neck and the neck and thighthigh

2- Dairy Character2- Dairy Character

3 - Frame 3 - Frame 15%15%

Components of FrameComponents of Frame

• RumpRump

• StatureStature

• Front endFront end

• BackBack

• Head & Breed CharacterHead & Breed Character

A - Rump, Stature & A - Rump, Stature & BackBack

• slight slope from hooks to pinsslight slope from hooks to pins

• wide from hook to hook and pin to wide from hook to hook and pin to pinpin

• Stature is how tall the cow is at the Stature is how tall the cow is at the withers. withers.

• The back should be slightly higher at The back should be slightly higher at the withers than hips and straight all the withers than hips and straight all the way across.the way across.

3 - frame3 - frame

A. Rump, Stature & A. Rump, Stature & BackBack

B - Front End & StrengthB - Front End & Strength

Front end Front end assembly is assembly is the shoulder the shoulder and chestand chest– It should be It should be

smooth and smooth and tight tight

Strength = Strength = width of chest width of chest & muzzle.& muzzle.

3 - Frame3 - Frame

C - Head & Breed C - Head & Breed CharacterCharacter

Look for:Look for: a feminine heada feminine head correct breed correct breed

colors and colors and shape of headshape of head

Deep jaw & Deep jaw & wide muzzlewide muzzle

3 - Frame3 - Frame

4 - Feet & Legs 4 - Feet & Legs 15%15%

Components of Feet and Legs:Components of Feet and Legs:

• Short toeShort toe

• Rear legs – straight from rearRear legs – straight from rear

• Rear legs – moderate angle from Rear legs – moderate angle from sideside

Legs – Side ViewLegs – Side View

• View the rear View the rear legs from the legs from the sideside

• The leg should The leg should have a have a moderate angle moderate angle to the hockto the hock

• The hock should The hock should be clean and be clean and flexibleflexible

4 - Feet & Legs4 - Feet & Legs

5 - Body Capacity 5 - Body Capacity – 10%– 10%

Body capacity is simply the Body capacity is simply the volume of the cowvolume of the cow– Length x Width x DepthLength x Width x Depth

Look for:Look for:– a long bodya long body– a wide chesta wide chest– a deep barrela deep barrel

A. Length & Depth of A. Length & Depth of BarrelBarrel

Lets Practice!Lets Practice!Here is a practice class of Brown Here is a practice class of Brown

Swiss cows… Swiss cows…

Look at each cowLook at each cow

Write down several things that you Write down several things that you like or dislike about that cow. like or dislike about that cow.

Place the classPlace the class

Brown Swiss Brown Swiss Cow #1Cow #1

Class #1Class #1

Brown Swiss Brown Swiss Cow #2Cow #2

Class #1Class #1

Brown Swiss Brown Swiss Cow #3Cow #3

Class #1Class #1

Brown Swiss Brown Swiss Cow #4Cow #4

Class #1Class #1

Class #1: Brown Swiss CowsClass #1: Brown Swiss Cows

11

4433

22

Time for Decisions…Time for Decisions…

Mammary System:Mammary System:

-Best-Best AA -Worst B-Worst B

dairy character:dairy character:

-Best-Best CC -Worst B-Worst B

What do What do youyou think? think?

Frame:Frame:

-Best-Best AA -Worst D-Worst D

Feet & Legs:Feet & Legs:

-Best-Best CC -Worst B-Worst B

body capacity:body capacity:

-Best-BestAA -Worst B-Worst B

Class #1: Brown Swiss CowsClass #1: Brown Swiss CowsOfficial PlacingOfficial Placing

1 3 4 2 1 3 4 2

To read what the judge had to say about this class of cows go to:To read what the judge had to say about this class of cows go to:

HOARD'S DAIRYMAN -- The National Dairy Farm Magazine

Class #2Class #2Holstein Dairy CowsHolstein Dairy Cows

11

Class #2Class #2

22

Class #2Class #2

Class #2Class #2

33

Class #2Class #2

44

Class #2Class #2

Class #2Class #2

11 22

33 44

Class #2Class #2

Official PlacingOfficial Placing

1 -1 - 2 -2 - 4 -4 - 33

FFA Application:FFA Application:Dairy Cattle JudgingDairy Cattle Judging

•Judge classes of dairy cattleJudge classes of dairy cattle•Give oral reasonsGive oral reasons