YFC Dairy Stock Judging

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Dairy Stock Judging is an important event and skill for Young Farmers. Its purpose is to train them to look for and assess the type of traits that are beneficial for long lasting, healthy cows that will also produce plenty of milk. Every dairy wants a herd of cows that will be able to produce the milk but will be able to have a calf and maintain a good level of health throughout the lactation. Being able to visually evaluate dairy cattle based on the physical traits that are desired in the animal for their health, longevity and high milk production levels is an especially important skill and one that takes practice. Young Farmers’ Dairy stock judging competitions play a significant role in developing these skills and understanding.

For every breed of cow, there is a “True Type Model” which is the ideal cow. The competitor must keep this in mind as they assess each animal. They need to look at functional traits such as good legs and feet leading to good locomotion, a well attached udder with enough width and height to hold the high milk yields expected, with a body capacity sufficient to support the milk and a growing calf.

Working in teams of two, the Junior Young Farmers are tasked to assess four cows whilst the Intermediates and Seniors assess six cows and place them in order [best to poorest] giving the reasons for their decision. They then present their findings to the judges in a two-minute presentation giving both a description of what they have seen and comparisons between the animals. The judges then mark them using a complex marking system to who marks them using a complex marking system based on accuracy of observation and comparisons.