1. Dairy Breeds and Selection Traits and Selection
Milk Production Facts
Breed Percent Butterfat Pounds Butterfat Pounds Milk
Holstein ,185
Ayrshire ,398
Jersey ,020
Brown Swiss ,062
Guernsey ,363

2. Dairy Breeds and Selection Parts of a Dairy Cow

3. Judging Scorecard Frame 15% Dairy Character 20% Body Capacity 10%
Feet & legs
Udder
15%
20%
10%
40%

4. Frame Structure – excluding legs Stature Rump Back Front end
Breed characteristics

5. Frame - Stature Tall at hips and withers
Hips and pins are proportionate

6. Frame - rump
Wide when viewed from behind

7. Frame - rump
Nearly level from hips to pins (pins slightly lower)

8. Frame - back Straight and strong
loin- broad, strong, and nearly level.

9. Frame – front end
Adequate constitution with front legs straight, wide apart and squarely placed.
Shoulder blades and elbows need to be firmly set against the chest wall.
Crops should have adequate fullness.

10. Frame – breed characteristics
Overall style and balance
Head should be feminine, clean-cut, slightly dished with broad muzzle, large open nostrils, and a strong jaw

11. Dairy Character The physical evidence of milking ability is evaluated.
Withers
Ribs
Thighs
Neck
Skin

12. Dairy Character - withers
Sharp with the chine prominent

13. Dairy character - ribs Wide apart
Rib bones are wide, flat, deep, and slanted toward the rear

15. Dairy character - thighs
Lean, incurving to flat, and wide apart from the rear

16. Dairy Character - neck
long, lean, and blending smoothly into shoulders
A clean-cut throat, dewlap, and brisket are desirable.

17. Dairy Character - skin
Thin, loose, and pliable

18. Body Capacity
Barrel – long, deep, wide. Depth and spring of rib towards flank
Chest – deep, wide, with sprung fore ribs

20. Feet and legs Feet and rear legs are evaluated.
Evidence of mobility is given major consideration
Feet
pasterns
Rear legs
Rear view
Side view
Hock

22. Feet and legs - feet
Steep angle and deep heal with short, well-rounded closed toes

23. Feet and legs - Pasterns
Short and strong with some flexibility.

24. Feet and legs – rear legs
straight, wide apart with feet squarely placed

25. Feet and legs –rear legs
A moderate set (angle) to the hock

26. Feet and legs – rear legs
Hocks - cleanly molded, free from coarseness and puffiness with adequate flexibility

27. Udder
Traits that contribute to high milk yield and a long productive life.
Udder Depth
Teat Placement
Rear Udder
Udder Cleft
Fore Udder
Teats
Udder Balance and Texture

28. Udder - Depth
moderate depth relative to the hock with adequate capacity and clearance.
consideration is given to lactation number and age.

29. Udder – teat placement
squarely placed under each quarter, plumb and properly spaced from side and rear views.

31. Udder – rear udder
wide and high, firmly attached with uniform width from top to bottom and slightly rounded to udder floor.

32. Udder - cleft
evidence of a strong suspensory ligament indicated by adequately defined halving.

33. Udder – fore udder
firmly attached with moderate length and ample capacity.

34. Udder - teats
cylindrical shape and uniform size with medium length and diameter.

35. Udder - Udder Balance and Texture-
should exhibit an udder floor that is level as viewed from the side.
Quarters should be evenly balanced
soft, pliable and well collapsed after milking.

36. Dairy Breeds and Selection “Use What you have learned”

37. Dairy Breeds and Selection “Use What you have learned”

38. Dairy Judging Class 1
2 year old Holstein Cows

39. Cow 1

40. Cow 2

41. Cow 3

42. Cow 4

43. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

44. Cow 1

45. Cow 2

46. Cow 3

47. Cow 4

48. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 4
Cow 4

49. Cow 1

50. Cow 2

51. Cow 3

52. Cow 4

53. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 4
Cow 3

54. Class 1 Placing
Cuts of 3-5-2

55. Class 2 Holstein Senior Heifers

56. Cow 1

57. Cow 2

58. Cow 3

59. Cow 4

60. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 4
Cow 3

61. Cow 4

62. Cow 2

63. Cow 3

64. Cow 4

65. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

66. Cow 1

67. Cow 2

68. Cow 3

69. Cow 4

70. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 4
Cow 3

71. Class 2 Placing
Cuts of 3-3-2

72. Class 3 3 and 4 Year Old Holsteins

73. Cow 1

74. Cow 2

75. Cow 3

76. Cow 4

77. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

78. Cow 1

79. Cow 2

80. Cow 3

81. Cow 4

82. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

83. Cow 1

84. Cow 2

85. Cow 3

86. Cow 4

87. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

88. Cow 1

89. Cow 2

90. Cow 3

91. Cow 4

92. Cow 1
Cow 2
Cow 3
Cow 4

93. Class 3 Placing
Cuts of
2-5-3