Selection and Judging of dairy cow�

• Selecting cows and buffaloes based on type and body conformation is very useful particularly when milk production records are not available.

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• It is cheep and convenient when an expert is trained to judge dairy type.

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Purpose:

1. Helps in selection of cows based on type and body confirmation
2. Useful particularly when milk production records are not available.
3. Useful in purchasing dairy cow.
4. Supports in identification of healthy animal

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• Good stock is needed for profitable production.
• Dairy animals are maintained for their production of milk and offspring, and they very n their productive capacity.
• The differences in production are due to several factors, but two times as much as milk and milk fat as other cows in the same herd, which were fed the same ration.
• It pays to use good judgment in selecting the cows to be used in starting a dairy enterprise and more useful to cull out unprofitable cows in established herd.
• Four criteria considering at the time of selecting dairy animals are; (a) Breed (b) Pedigree (c) Production records (d) Physical appearance.

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• It has been found that certain physical characteristics makes it possible for us to judge the production capacity of an individual for which production records are not available.
• To evaluate good dairy type animal "unified score card" system is being followed. The scorecard for dairy cows is divided into four parts.

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• General appearance (30 points)

The animal should be evaluated on the basis of its appearance (10), breed characters (10) and body vigor/strength (10). The ideal "General appearance" characters have been given as under:

• Appearance: Attractive, refine features, eyes bright and alert, hair coat fine, non-excitable, no excess flesh on the frame and medium size.
• Breed characters: The animals, which are true to its breed, should get maximum points.
• Vigor/strength: Shoulder strong and well set with the body, legs strong, wide apart and squarely placed, top line strong and wide.

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Dairy characters (20 points)

• Angular appearance (three wedge), neck blending smooth into shoulder, thighs incurring providing ample room for the udder and skin loose and pliable.
• Side wedge: Area between top and bottom line of the barrel. The base of the wedge (Hind quarter) should be wide indicating capacious abdomen to house the digestive system.
• Top wedge: It is formed by joining point of wither with hook bones. Broad base of the wedge (Hook bones) will indicate wide pelvic for easy calving.
• Front wedge: joining point of wither with point of shoulder forms it. Broad shoulder will indicate wide thorax to house big heart for good circulation.

Body capacity (20 points)

• The barrel should be large in size for providing ample capacity.
• Well-sprung ribs and wide chest floor. Heart girth and punch girth should also be more.

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Mammary system (30 points)

• The mammary system comprises of udder, teats and mammary vein (milk vein). The ideal mammary system should have the following characters.
• Udder (23 points): it should be large, strongly attached and of moderate depth. All the four quarters should be evenly balanced and symmetrical. The texture of the udder should be soft, pliable and elastic. It should collapse well after milking.
• Teats (5 points): All the teats should be uniform in shape, well apart and squarely placed. Teats should be cylindrical with medium length and diameter.
• Milk vein (2 points): It should be long, large and branching. The milk well should be large in diameter.

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Summary of dairy score card

Grade Score points

Excellent 90 marks and above

Very good 85-90 marks

Good 80-85 marks

Acceptable 70-80

Fair quality 60-70

Poor Below 60 marks.

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