Dairy Judging Terminology: A Guide to Saying What She is and Not What She Isn't

W.M. Graves¹
M.L. London and D. R. Sires²
R.C. Smith³

This guide is designed to help you improve your reasons for your placings in dairy cattle evaluations. Slowly incorporate new terms into your oral reasons and your ability to describe what you see will continue to improve. Concentrate on what you see instead of what you don?t see. You only have 2 ½ minutes to justify your placings. Use I.D. points, and Practice! Practice! Practice! Paint a picture of what you see as if each cow is in the reason room with you.

The PDCA (Purebred Dairy Cattle Association) United Dairy Scorecard for cows and modified for heifers is as follows:

	Score (%)
Trait	Cow		Heifer
Frame	15		25
Dairy Strength	25		40
Rear Feet & Legs	20		35
Udder	40

Look at that the terms that can be used with each section of the scorecard. Always take breed characteristics into account. The following are examples of terms and phrases used to describe specific differences between animals.

Mammary System/Udder
(40% of PDCA Scorecard)

General Ways to Describe the Udder:

More bloom to the udder

More veining of the udder

More udder texture

Exhibits more bloom and capacity of the udder

More balance and symmetry to the udder

Less quartering when viewed from the side

More youthful udder

Udder held tighter to the body wall

Carries udder higher above the hocks

Udder shows more balance from front to rear

Udder carried higher off the ground

More distance between the hock and udder floor

Large, more capacious udder

Fore Udder

Stronger/ firmer attachment when viewed from the side (say which side)

Smoother fore udder attachment

Fore udder is held closer to the body wall

Cleaner fore udder attachment

Fore udder blended more smoothly and naturally into the body wall

Longer and firmer fore udder attachment

Longer fore udder, blending more smoothly into the body wall

Rear Udder:

Higher, wider rear udder

Higher, stronger rear udder attachment

More balance of rear udder

More capacious rear udder

More fullness to the udder when viewed from behind (or rear)

More symmetrical rear udder

More fullness and capacity at the bottom of the rear udder

More uniform width of the rear udder

Carries the udder higher above the hocks

More clearly defined udder cleft/median suspensory ligament

Stronger center support in the udder

More cleft in the udder with a more prominent crease

More defined cleft

Teat Placement:

Teats are more centrally located

Teats are more squarely placed on the quarters

Teats are smaller (or longer)

Teats more desirable in size, shape and placement

Teats more perpendicular to the ground

More nearly correct front teat placement

Teats placed more correctly beneath each quarter

Dairy Strength
(25% of PDCA Scorecard)

Sharper over the shoulders

More width through front end

Cleaner across the topline

Cleaner and more refined in the head and neck

Has an advantage in dairyness

More prominent through the hips and pins

More feminine throughout the head and neck

Longer and leaner neck

Presents cleaner thighs

Incurving thighs

Carrying less flesh

More refined and dairylike

More angular at the withers

Shows more definition from hooks to pins

More open-ribbed

Over-conditioned in the dewlap or brisket

Width through ribs

Stronger, flatter-boned

Stronger (or) more powerful cow

Deeper in the heart and barrel

Deeper in the chest or chest floor

Deeper-bodied

Greater circumference in the heart girth

More total body circumference

Greater spring to the rib

Larger barrel (or heart girth)

Deeper barrel (or heart girth)

Less excess conditioning

More depth of barrel and openness of rib

More width of chest

Greater spring of fore and rear rib

Displays more openness and angularity throughout

Carries less excess flesh through the neck, throat and brisket

More angular over withers, hips and pins

Less excess flesh about the neck, throat and brisket

Greater overall capacity

Greater strength and substance

More depth of heart

Frame
(15% of PDCA Scorecard)

Taller at the point of withers

Taller, more upstanding

Shoulders blend more smoothly into the body

Stronger, straighter, smoother back

Longer from head to tail

More nearly level from chine to loin

Stronger, smoother, straighter loin

Stronger in the chine

More level topline, straighter topline

Higher and wider in the thurls

Longer from hooks to pins

More functionally correct slope from hooks to pins

More correct set to the thurls

Wider in the pins (or thurls)

More width in the pins (or thurls)

Wider in the rump (or thurls)

Exhibited less slope from hips to pins

Straighter and smoother over the topline

Squarer in the rump

More correct in slope from hooks to pins

Longer from end to end

Neater at the tailhead

Tailhead placed more neatly between pins

Walks more uphill

Growthier (heifers)

Blends more smoothly from neck to shoulder and from shoulder to barrel

Rear Feet and Legs
(20% of PDCA Scorecard)

More desirable angle to the rear foot

More correct shape to the rear foot

Steeper foot angle

More strength in the pasterns

Stronger and shorter pasterns in the rear

Cleaner and flatter bone in the rear leg

Cleaner at the hock

More refined hock

Deeper heel

More substance of bone (say where)

Straighter or more correctly placed legs when viewed from the side (or rear)

More desirable set angle to the hock when viewed from the side

Front legs or rear legs set more squarely beneath the body

Handles her rear legs more correctly on the walk

More correct on the move

Tracks straighter (or more correctly)

Walks straighter and on a more correct set of feet and legs

 

Use the following phrases to help you get started, tie things together and wrap up your reasons.

Introductions

1, 2, 3, 4 is my preferred placing in this/today’s class of ___.

After closely analyzing this/today’s class of ___ (e.g. 2-year-old Holsteins), my final placing is ___.

After evaluating this/today’s class of ___ (e.g. 2-year-old Jerseys), I place them ___.

In a close placing, I place this/today’s class of ___.

I place this/today’s class ___.

I find this class to be a two-pair class.

I find this class to have an easy top/bottom animal.

I find this class to have a close top pair.

General Statements

More stylish individual.

More stylish from head to tail

Greater size and scale

More style, balance or symmetry.

Smoother blending of parts.

Individual (or animal/cow/heifer) with the best combination of ___ (say what).

Most complete individual (or animal/cow/heifer).

More powerful from end to end (or head to tail).

Outstanding animal easily wins this class.

Connecting Terms

Furthermore,

In addition to,

Also,

Moreover,

However, it is this

More importantly,

I recognize

Therefore, ____'s

Equally important,

Another point in ____'s favor is

Besides this, ____'s

Likewise, ____'s

To complement this, ____'s

Grants

I realize,

I admit,

I recognize that,

More importantly,

I did not fail to recognize,

I concede,

However, 1 ___.

Giving 1 an advantage in ___.

Other Terms/Suggestions

Presents

Exhibits

Shows

Displays

Demonstrates

Closings

For these reasons, I place this/today’s class of ___ (e.g., 3-year-old Brown Swiss) 1-2-3-4.

1-2-3-4 is how I place this/today’s class of ___ (e.g., Guernsey Heifers).

Thank you (to show you are finished).

Recognize Superlatives

1, the best-uddered cow in the class, places over 2 due to her definite advantage in dairy strength.

1, the best-framed cow in the class ___.

I find an easy top in the smooth, stylish 3, by far the best-uddered cow in the class.

In the top pair, the two best-uddered cows, 1 places over 2 due to her advantage in dairy strength.

Use qualifying statements to emphasize specific points of advantage

1 has more desirable front teat placement, faulting 2 for having wide and strutting front teats.

1 is smoother in fore udder attachment, particularly when viewed from the right side.

1 has more balance of rear quarters, criticizing 2 for being light in the left rear quarter.

Smooth Transitions between Pairs

It is this advantage in (from grant) that places her easily over (the next animal) in my next pair.

____ follows the type of pattern set by ____.

Moving on to my middle placing, ____ places over ____.

It is because of this advantage in ____ that ____.

Going now to my final placing, of ____ over ____,

 

Some example sets of reasons are:

Example 1

After carefully analyzing today’s class of ___ (insert age, breed, cow/heifer [e.g., 4-year-old Holsteins]), I place them B, C, A, D.

B places easily over C, finding an easy top in the black cow, B, who excels in mammary system and dairy strength. B displays a smoother, stronger fore udder attachment whose udder blends more naturally into the chest wall. Furthermore, when viewed from behind she shows more width, bloom and capacity as well as having a more defined udder cleft. B is taller at her point of withers and is sharper and more angular throughout. I do admit C is higher in her rear udder attachment, thus allowing me to place C over A in my intermediate pair.

C is superior in udder quality and capacity to A. She displays more veining and is more youthful in her udder appearance. In addition, C is a deeper-bodied individual and has greater depth and spring to her barrel. However, I do acknowledge A stands on a set of shorter and stronger pasterns.

In my bottom pair, I place A over D, the mainly white cow. A is stronger and wider when viewed from the front. Furthermore, she is wider in her pins when viewed from behind. She also stands on a more correct set of feet and legs. In addition, I appreciate that A is more feminine and dairy about her head and neck. I do concede that D carries less flesh, but she lacks femininity, dairy strength and udder quality to place any higher in
today’s class.

For these reasons, I place today’s class of ___ (e.g., 4-year old Holsteins) B, C, A, D. Thank you.

Example 2

I place this class of Jersey cows 3, 2, 1, 4. The spotted cow, 3, excels to the top of this class due to her superior mammary system. She has a more capacious udder and has a higher, wider rear udder attachment and greater width to the rear udder. 3 has a smoother fore udder attachment, faulting 2 for her slightly bulgy right fore udder.

I grant that 2, the darker cow, carries her udder higher above her hocks and has a slightly stronger udder cleft. It is this cleft strength that carries her over 1 in my middle pair.

I found a close middle pair in this class, placing 2 and 1. 2 has a wider rear udder attachment and slightly stronger fore udder attachment. 2 has less quartering in her udder and has more correct teat size and shape, faulting 1 for her large, cone-shaped teats. 2 is stronger in the pasterns and cleaner at the hocks. I admit that 1 has more width to her rump, thurls and rear udder.

I place 1 over 4 due to her higher, wider rear udder. 1 is leveler on the udder floor, and has a more correct teat placement, with more prominent veining than 4. She is also straighter across her top and stronger in her loin. She also has stronger pasterns and a more correct foot angle.

I admit that 4 has a smoother fore udder attachment and a more correct teat size and shape. However, I find 4 to be an easy bottom cow in this class. She lacks the mammary capacity, rear udder width and overall style to place above the other three cows today. For these reasons, I place this class of Jersey 4-year old cows 3, 2, 1, 4. Thank you.

Example 3

DBCA is my preferred placing of this class of 3-year-old Holstein cows. After closely analyzing this class, I found a definite top and bottom animal and a close middle pair. In my top pair I place D over B due to her advantage in mammary. D has a more youthful udder, holding her udder higher above her hocks. In addition, D has a wider rear udder, stronger rear udder attachment, and a stronger fore udder attachment that blends more
smoothly into the body wall. D also stands on a more correct set of feet and legs and is more angular over her withers, hips and pins.

I admit that B has greater depth of barrel and spring of rib. It is this advantage in Dairy Strength that places B over C in my middle pair.

B is deeper in the barrel and exhibits greater spring to fore and rear rib. Furthermore, B has a longer, leaner neck, is straighter across the topline and wider in the pins.

However, I did not fail to recognize that C has a longer, smoother, stronger fore udder attachment.

Moving on to my final pair, I place C over A. C has a higher, stronger, wider rear udder attachment and more correctly sized and shaped teats. Moreover, C has more openness of rib.

I grant that A is a longer cow from head to tail; however, I had no choice but to leave her last today. The black cow has a low, rear udder attachment, bulgy fore udder and reverse udder tilt. A also lacks openness of rib and is thicker in her thighs.

For these reasons, I place this class of 3-year-old Holstein cows DBCA. Thank you.

The Oral Reasons Note Card may help you practice developing your reasons.

Oral Reasons Top Ten List

1. Emphasize the most important points first. Say what you see!

2. Use “er” words to compare differences between items (e.g., longer, wider) — don?t describe.

3. Look the official in the eye. Convince him/her your placing is correct. Sound confident.

4. Include an opening statement describing the class.

5. Giving grants are important; however, if there are none, don?t give any.

6. Use I.D. points to identify animals. It helps you remember and prepare.

7. Oral reasons are to be presented to the judge in the present tense without the use of any notes. Give reasons as if the cows are in the room with you.

8. Relax, talk slowly and don?t run out of gas. Breathe!

9. Call heifers "heifers" and cows "cows"!

10. Practice! Practice! Practice!

¹Extension Dairy Scientist
²Graduate Teaching Assistants, Animal & Dairy Science Department
³Extension Leader, Morgan County

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Status and Revision History
Published on Aug 01, 2003
Published on Feb 04, 2009
Published on Nov 09, 2009
Published with Minor Revisions on Sep 21, 2012
Published with Full Review on Mar 28, 2017