Dairy Cattle Judging

The physical conformation of a dairy cow is evaluated on four (4) categories:

1. Dairy Strength - 25 points
2. Rear Feet and Legs - 20 points
3. Udder - 40 points
4. Frame - 15 points

Dairy Strength

A cow that excels in dairy strength will have:

• A feminine head.
• A long, lean neck.
• Sharp and angular withers.
• A long barrel.
• A lot of space between her ribs.
• Ribs that are flat in shape (not round).
• A flat (not round) conformation in the part of her legs between the hocks and dew claws.
• Wide through the chest floor.
• Deep in the fore and rear rib.
• Long in the rib (barrel) region.
• Very wide through the rib (lots of spring of rib).

Dairy Strength

A cow that lacks dairy strength may have:

• A short, coarse head.
• A short, thick neck.
• Round withers.
• A short barrel.
• Little space between her ribs.
• Round ribs.
• Round lower legs.
• Narrow between the front legs (narrow chested).
• Shallow in the fore and rear rib.
• Short in the rib (barrel) region.
• Narrow through the ribs (slab sided).

Dairy Strength

- Chest Width -

- Fore and Rear Rib Depth -

- Spring of Rib -

Front Feet and Legs

A cow with correct front feet and legs will have:

• Hooves which point straight forward.
• Straight front legs which set square with her body.

A cow which is not correct in the front feet and legs may have:

• Hooves with toes that turn in or out.
• Crooked front legs.

Front Feet and Legs

- Front Legs (Front View) - 

Rear Feet and Legs

A cow with correct rear feet and legs will have:

• Hind legs that are placed squarely underneath her when she stands.
• A moderate set (curve) to her hocks.
• Clean hocks.
• Short, strong pasterns.
• A deep heel.
• A steep foot angle.
• Straight hind legs when viewed from the rear.
• An easy, smooth stride when she walks.

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Rear Feet and Legs

A cow with incorrect rear feet and legs may have:

• Hid legs that attach too far back on the rump (thurl placement too far back).
• Too much set to the hocks (sickle-hocked) or hocks that are too straight (post-legged).
• Swelling or puffiness in the hocks.
• Weak pasterns.
• Heels that are too shallow.
• A low foot angle.
• Hocks that are in when viewed from the rear (cow-hocked).
• A restricted, uncomfortable stride.

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Rear Feet and Legs
- Hocks -

Rear Feet and Legs
- Foot Angle and Depth of Heel - 

Rear Feet and Legs
- Foot Angle and Depth of Heel - 

Rear Feet and Legs
- Hind Legs (Rear View) -

Udder Conformation

A cow which excels in udder conformation will have:

• An udder that is appropriate in size and capacity relative to the cow's age and number of lactations.
• A moderately long for udder that blends well into the body wall.
• A level udder floor, with the udder floor well above the hocks.
• A full and wide rear udder.

• A high and wide rear udder attachment.
• Balanced quarters.
• Evidence of a strong median suspensory ligament.
• A lot of veining in the udder.
• Teats which are moderate in size and length, squarely placed under the quarter and perpendicular to the ground.

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Udder Conformation

A cow which does not excel in udder conformation may have:

• A bulgy for udder.
• A loose for udder attachment.
• Too much slope to the udder floor, or reverse tilt to the udder floor.
• An udder floor below the hocks.
• A flat and narrow rear udder.
• A low and narrow rear udder attachment.

• Unbalanced quarters.
• A weak median suspensory ligament.
• Teats that are not the correct size or shape.
• Front teats that are too wide.
• Front teats that strut out.
• Rear teats that are too close.

Udder Conformation
- Fore Udder -

Udder Conformation
- Udder Depth -

Udder Conformation
- Udder Tilt -

Udder Conformation
- Rear Udder Width -

Udder Conformation
- Rear Udder Height -

Udder Conformation
- Median Suspensory Ligament -

Udder Conformation
- Teat Placement -

Frame

A cow which is correct in her frame will be:

• Tall.
• Long from her muzzle to her pins.
• Straight in her lines.
• Balanced and smoothly put together.
• Long and wide in her rump with a moderate amount of slope from the hooks to the pins.

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Frame

A cow which is not correct in her frame may be:

• Low set.
• Short from her muzzle to her pins.
• Sway backed.
• Rough at the shoulder.
• Steep sloped from the hooks to the pins.
• Reverse tilted in the rump with the pins being higher than the hooks.
• Narrow in the hooks, thurls, and pins.

Frame
- Straightness of Design -

Frame
- Rump Width -

Frame
- Rump Slope -

Judge Dairy Cattle

When judging a class of four dairy animals, your assignment is to:

• First, evaluate what is correct and incorrect about the conformation of each animal.
• Second, rank the class based on their overall conformation.
   
  • Most correct animal goes 1st
  • Second most correct animal goes 2nd
  • Third most correct animal goes 3rd
  • Least correct animal goes 4th

Final Tips for Judging Dairy Cattle

• Remember the four important physical conformation categories.
   
• Know what "correct" looks like.
   
• Look at lots of dairy cattle.
   
• Practice your judging skills.