1. Dairy Selection: General Overview
From foukeffa.org
Written by Sherri Wiggs
Revised by Nicki Schaefer
GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office
To accompany the Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum
Lesson
July 2002

2. Dairy Selection General terms:
bulls - mature male dairy cattle
cows - mature female dairy cattle; have produced one or more calves
heifers - female dairy cattle that have not bore any calves
calves - male or female dairy calves under one year of age
breed characteristics - physical traits that differentiate from breed from another

3. Dairy Selection General Terms (cont.):
dairy character - characteristics indicating that the animal will be useful in the dairy industry
butterfat - percent of fat in the milk
milk production - amount in pounds of milk that a cow produces during a lactation period
lactation - span of time that a cow is producing milk

4. Dairy Selection General Terms (cont):
dairy herd improvement records (DHI)- production records kept on lactating dairy cattle
mammary system – system in the cow responsible for storing and producing milk
disposition - manner in which an animal acts
pedigree - register of lines of ancestry

5. Parts of a Dairy Cow 1. heel 2. sole 3. knee 4. chest floor 5. brisket
6. point of elbow
7. dewlap
8. point of shoulder
9. throat
10. jaw
11. muzzle
12. bridge of nose

6. Parts of a Dairy Cow 13. forehead 14. poll 15. horn 16. neck
17. heart girth
18. withers
19. crops
20. ribs
21. chine
22. loin
23. barrel
24. hip
25. rump
26. thurl
27. tailhead
28. pin bones

7. Parts of a Dairy Cow 29. tail 30. rear udder attachment 31. thigh
32. stifle
33. flank
34. rear udder
35. hock
36. switch
37. dewclaw
38. pastern
39. hoof
40. teats
41. fore udder
42. fore udder attachment
43. mammary veins
44. milk wells

8. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
1. Stature (measured at withers): Points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - very tall (99) to very low set (50).
2. Chest and body (considering age and stage of lactation): points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - wide chest, deep rib, long body (99) to extremely narrow and frail (50).

9. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
3. Dairy character (independent of performance) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely sharp (99) to extremely thick (50).
4. Foot and shape (angle) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely steep angle (90) to extremely low angle (50).

10. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
5. Rear legs (side view) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely sickled (99) to extremely posty or overextended (50).
6. Pelvic angle points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - severe slope from hooks to pins (99) to pins clearly higher than hooks (50).

11. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
7. Rump width points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extreme width of pelvic area (99) to extremely narrow pelvic area (50).
8. Fore udder attachment points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely tight attachment (99) to extremely broken (50).

12. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
9. Rear udder width (at attachment) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely wide (99) to extremely narrow (50).
10. Rear udder height (at attachment) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely high (99) to extremely low (50).

13. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
11. Teat placement (rear view) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - base of teats extremely close (99) to extremely wide placement (50).
12. Suspensory ligament (cleft) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extreme cleft (99) to broken (50).

14. Dairy Selection Traits (Dairy Evaluation System)
13. Udder depth (relative to point of hock) points are awarded from 99 to 50 points - extremely shallow, udder floor well above hock (99) to extremely deep (50).

15. Dairy Selection Traits and Selection Terms:
balance of symmetry - proper proportions and blending of parts.
clean - free from fat
cow-hocked - rear legs turned so that the hocks are close together and feet point out when viewed from the rear.
body capacity - total amount of volume exhibited by a cow and indicated by a combination of depth of fore and rear rib, length of barrel, spring of rib, and depth of flank.
quality - overall smoothness, blending of shoulders, and refinement of head and neck.
spring of rib - amount ribs arch out from the backbone.
type - combination of characteristics that make an animal most useful for a specific purpose.
sickle-hocked - rear legs too curved when viewed from the side.

16. Dairy Selection Traits and Selection Factors to Consider:
General appearance - cows with good general appearance are attractive, have femininity, vigor, stretch, scale, and a harmonious blend of all parts.
Evaluate all parts of the cow when considering general appearance.
Dairy character - Dairy character refers to a combination of characteristics that indicate a cow’s ability to convert feed into milk. Characteristics include angularity, freedom from coarseness, and evidence of milking ability with udder quality.
Udder - The udder should be large enough to produce and store milk. The length, width, and depth of the udder determines its capacity. The udder should be attached high and wide and carry well forward in front. Other factors considered would be teat placement, size and prominence of the mammary veins, and number and size of milk wells.

17. Dairy Selection Use what you have learned:
Which animal would be considered desirable?
What terms would you use to describe the differences?
Which animal shows the best general appearance?
Are these cows or heifers? Why?

18. Dairy Breeds and Selection Use what you have learned:
Which animal would be considered desirable?
What terms would you use to describe the differences?
Which shows more dairy character? What are the indicators?
What about the udder?

19. What is involved in a Dairy judging CDE?
• Dairy Judging is the process of carefully analyzing a dairy animal’s individual traits and comparing those traits to an ideal animal or standard. It includes:
Registration and Placing Cards
Judging the Classes
Taking Notes
Presenting Oral Reasons
Calculate Placing Scores
Possible Awards

20. FFA Placing Cards When computing placing cards: Identify the judge
Record the placing
When computing placing cards:
Compare placings to official placings
Write placings as pairs
Use the cuts to calculate points
Total the points of all pairs
Subtract total from 50 to find your score

21. Livestock Judging (sample scoring)
Official Placings Your Placings
[5 3 3 (cuts)]
a. Compare each pair you placed
to the corresponding pair in the
official placings.
b. Count points for pairs that do
not match using the cuts.
c. Total the points and subtract
from 50 (which would be a perfect
score). The result is your score.
Write you placings as pairs:
3/4-0pts 4/1-3pts 1/2-3pts
3/1-0pts 4/2-3+3pts
3/2-0pts
Total - 12pts
Score - 50 pts possible
-12 pts 38

22. Preparing for and Presenting Oral Reasons
Take accurate notes on the class.
Notes should include:
-name of the class
-your placings
-general appearances of the class
-descriptive points pertaining to each pair in the placing.
-key points you would like to stress

23. Preparing for and Presenting Oral Reasons
-Speak with a clear, confident voice.
-Stand straight with feet in a comfortable
position.
-Never use notes.
-Avoid excess body movement.
-Stay within the allotted 2 minutes.
-Use good voice control, including speed and volume.
-Introduce the class before beginning points.