Breaking free from the chains of the past Where
truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law
waiting on some printed page We're charting new
ground in the digital age From genomic codes
to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold
them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight
we're sparking Hey there, dairy enthusiasts.
Welcome back to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm your
host, and today I've got something really special
for you, especially if you're just getting started
in dairy showing, or if you've ever wondered
what separates the champions from the also -rans
in the judging ring. You know, I was at World
Dairy Expo last year, watching this incredible
class of senior two -year -olds, and I noticed
something fascinating. There was this one judge
who seemed to know exactly what they were looking
for from the moment those animals walked into
the ring. While other people were still trying
to figure out which cow was which, this judge
was already taking notes, already analyzing,
already building their placing in their mind.
That got me thinking, what separates a great
judge from someone who's just guessing? And more
importantly, how can you develop that same? Judges
I. Whether you're competing in 4 -H, FFA, or
just trying to make better breeding decisions
on your family's farm. Today, I'm going to pull
back the curtain and show you exactly how the
best judges think, how they approach each class
systematically, and how you can develop these
same skills. Trust me, by the end of this episode,
you're going to look at cattle completely differently.
The big picture. It's not magic. It's method.
Let me start with something that might surprise
you. The best judges I know, they're not born
with some magical ability to spot the perfect
cow. What they have is something much more powerful.
A system. A repeatable, consistent process that
they follow every single time. Think about it
like this. You know how your family has a specific
routine for milking. Same order, same steps,
same attention to detail every time. That's because
consistency produces results. Well, judging cattle
works exactly the same way. I remember talking
to this veteran judge, let's call him Jim, and
he told me something that completely changed
how I think about evaluation. He said, most people
think judging is about finding the perfect cow,
but really, it's about having a perfect process.
That blew my mind because it meant that anyone,
and I mean anyone, could learn to judge well
if they were willing to commit to a systematic
approach. The PDCA scorecard your foundation
now. Before we dive into the actual process,
let's talk about your foundation, the PDCA scorecard.
This isn't just some boring document, this is
literally your roadmap to understanding what
matters most in a dairy cow. Here's how it breaks
down, and I want you to really think about these
percentages. Utter, 40%. Dairy strength, 25%.
Feet and legs, 20%. Frame, 15%. Now, here's where
it gets interesting. Most beginning judges get
completely hung up on things like a slightly
imperfect top line or whether a cow's tail setting
is perfect. But look at those numbers again.
Frame, which includes a lot of those cosmetic
details, is only 15 % of the total score. I used
to make this mistake too. I'd see a cow with
a beautiful head and neck and get all excited,
completely missing the fact that her udder was
hanging halfway to the ground. The industry has
actually distilled all of this into one powerful
phrase that every great judge lives by. Good
uttered dairy cows with functional feet and legs.
Let me say that again, because it's that important.
Good uttered dairy cows with functional feet
and legs. If you remember nothing else from today's
episode, remember that phrase. It's going to
save you from making costly mistakes, whether
you're judging a class or picking your next heifer
to keep. The process. How Champions Think Alright,
now let's get into the real meat of this. I'm
going to walk you through exactly how elite judges
approach a class, step by step. And here's the
cool part. You can start using this system tomorrow.
Step 1. The Distant View Picture this. A prosody
rate 7, the class walks into the ring and everyone
around you immediately starts moving in close
to get a better look. But you? You stay back
about 20 to 25 feet. and just watch. This is
where the magic starts happening. From this distance,
you can see things that become invisible when
you're up close. You can see the overall balance
of each animal, how they move, their general
style and presence. I like to think of it like
stepping back to look at a painting. When you're
too close, all you see are brushstrokes. But
when you step back, you see the whole picture.
During this phase, I'm already starting to mentally
sort the animals. I'm thinking, okay, that red
and white cow has really impressive stature and
balance. That black one over there moves beautifully.
And that one on the end, hmm, something's not
quite right with her udder. This initial scan
is crucial because it prevents you from getting
lost in minor details later on. Step two, the
three -point priority system. Now comes the systematic
part. As I move in for a closer look, I evaluate
every single animal using the same sequence.
And here's the key. I do this in order of the
scorecard priorities. Priority 1. Utter evaluation.
For mature cows, I start with the utter every
single time. And I use this simple framework.
Rear utter, ligament, teats. Any drama? Let me
break that down. How's her rear utter attachment?
Is it high and wide? What about her suspensory
ligament? Can I see a clear definition down the
middle? Are her teats well -placed and the right
size? Any drama? Meaning, any major faults or
exceptional qualities that jump out? At this
stage, I'm making simple yes or no decisions.
Is this a good udder? Would I like to find better?
Can I live with this udder? It's just like when
you're checking fresh cows after calving. You
quickly sort them into watch closely, monitor,
or no concerns based on what you see. Priority
two, dairy strength. Next, I assess dairy strength
with another framework. Does she have a big rib?
Has she got a wide chest? Is she clean? This
is where I'm looking for evidence that this cow
is built to convert feed into milk efficiently,
not into excess body fat. I want to see wide
spaced ribs that are flat and deep, good width
through the chest, overall cleanliness, and angularity.
Think about the most productive cows in your
herd. They probably have that lean, angular look
that just screams milk cow. Priority three, feet
and legs. Finally, I evaluate mobility with this
question. Hawks, feet, can she walk? Here's something
really important that a lot of people miss. Perfect
conformation in the legs isn't as critical as
functional soundness. A cow can have one fault
in her legs and still be considered good -legged
if she can move comfortably and confidently.
It's like your milking system. It doesn't have
to be perfect in every detail, but it absolutely
has to deliver on the basics of hygiene and vacuum
stability. Step 3. Making Comparisons After I've
evaluated each animal individually, I start making
direct comparisons. Here's a strategy that really
works. First, identify the animals at the extremes,
the clear winner and the obvious last place.
This simplifies your job because now you only
have to figure out the middle placings. When
I'm comparing animals head to head, I'm constantly
weighing their strengths and weaknesses against
those scorecard priorities. For example, if one
cow has a superior udder, but the other has better
feet and legs, I have to decide which difference
is more significant based on the point allocations.
The art of note -taking. Now, here's something
that might surprise you. The best judges are
incredible note -takers, and I'm not talking
about just jotting down a few words. I'm talking
about systematic, detailed documentation that
happens while they're still in the ring. I use
a two -column system, H -A -G -C -O -L -A -L
-M -H -O -N. On the left side of my notebook,
I write descriptive notes about each individual
animal. On the right side, I write comparative
notes explaining why one animal places over another.
This isn't just about memory. Though that's important
when you have to give oral reasons, it's actually
part of the analytical process. When you force
yourself to write down what you're seeing, you're
also forcing yourself to think more clearly about
your decisions. And here's a pro tip. Develop
your own shorthand system. In judging contests,
time is limited, so you need to capture information
quickly and efficiently. Judging heifers, a different
game. Now let's talk about heifers, because this
is where a lot of people get confused. Since
heifers haven't developed their udders yet, you
can't use the same approach as with mature cows.
Instead, I use this framework. Correct, clean
and open heifers, who are big enough. Let me
explain each part. Correct. This means structurally
sound, especially in the frame and feet and legs.
Without correct structure, nothing else matters
because the animal won't hold up over time. Clean.
This refers to dairy character, that lean, angular
look that suggests the heifer will channel nutrients
into milk production rather than body fat. Open.
This means openness of rib and overall capacity.
You want to see evidence that she'll be able
to consume and process large amounts of feed.
Big enough. This is about appropriate size for
her age. But here's where it gets interesting.
The industry has what's called the peanut rule.
If a heifer is just slightly smaller than her
competition but superior in quality, that small
size difference shouldn't hurt her much. But
if she looks like she belongs in a whole different
age class, then size becomes a real limiting
factor. This makes sense when you think about
it practically. A small heifer might milk well,
but she's going to struggle to compete at the
feed bunk with much larger herdmates. The 2025
updates, what's changed? Before I move on, let
me quickly update you on some important changes
that took effect in March 2025. The PDCA made
several significant updates to their scorecard
and guidelines. Most importantly, they equalized
the points for fore -utter and rear -utter at
7 points each. This is huge because it means
both attachment systems are now considered equally
important for long -term utter health. They also
renamed the rear feet and legs category to just
feet and legs. which suggests a more holistic
view of mobility. For showmanship, they increased
penalties for things like sidestepping while
leading and failure to set up your animal promptly.
The message is clear. Professionalism matters
more than ever. Building Transferable Skills
Here's something I find really exciting about
learning to judge dairy cattle. The skills you
develop extend way beyond the show ring. When
you learn to observe systematically, prioritize
based on impact, and make confident decisions
with incomplete information, you're developing
abilities that will serve you in every aspect
of life. I know successful judging team alumni
who are now leading genetic companies, managing
banks, running veterinary practices, and yes,
operating incredibly successful dairy farms.
The systematic thinking they learned through
judging became their template for approaching
complex decisions throughout their careers. Integrating
modern technology. Now, Let's address the elephant
in the room. Some people think that with all
our genomic tools and performance data, visual
evaluation is becoming obsolete. That's completely
wrong. The best operations I visit use both genomic
data and systematic visual assessment. They recognize
that genomics tell you about genetic potential,
but visual evaluation tells you about structural
soundness, utter support and mobility. Things
that directly impact whether that genetic potential
ever gets realized. I know one producer who puts
it perfectly. You can have a genomic superstar
on paper, but if her feet and legs can't carry
her through multiple lactations, those genetic
values never materialize into actual performance.
The future isn't about choosing between genomics
and visual evaluation. It's about integrating
both tools for maximum impact. Getting started.
Your action plan. All right. So how do you actually
start developing these skills? Here's your roadmap.
First, start practicing the systematic approach
I've outlined. Every time you look at cattle,
whether it's at a show, on your farm, or even
in pictures, force yourself to follow the same
sequence. Distant view, utter dairy strength.
Feet and legs. Then comparisons. Second, get
involved in organized judging opportunities.
Join your local 4 -H or FFA dairy judging team.
Attend judging contests. The more you practice
under pressure, the better you'll become. Third,
seek out feedback. Find experienced judges who
are willing to mentor you. Ask questions. Learn
from your mistakes. And finally, stay current
with industry changes. The dairy industry is
constantly evolving, and judging standards evolve
with it. Taking action today. Let me leave you
with a challenge. After this episode, I want
you to audit your current approach to evaluating
cattle. Whether you're selecting heifers to keep,
making breeding decisions, or just trying to
improve your judging skills, ask yourself, are
you truly prioritizing the most economically
valuable traits, or have you fallen into the
trap of chasing cosmetic ideals that have minimal
impact on profitability? Are your evaluation
criteria building a herd designed for longevity
and efficiency or just for looking good on paper?
Identify one area where your evaluation process
could be more systematic and deliberate. Maybe
it's implementing better note -taking during
herd walks or developing a more structured approach
to heifer selection or establishing clearer priorities
for mating decisions. The point is this. by committing
to a systematic approach to evaluation. You're
not just building skills for the show ring. You're
developing a mindset that will drive success
across your entire operation. Wrapping up. You
know, at the beginning of this episode, I told
you about that judge at World Dairy Expo who
seemed to have everything figured out from the
moment the class walked in. Now you know their
secret. It wasn't magic. It was method. The judge's
eye isn't some mystical gift. It's a learnable
skill based on systematic observation, clear
priorities, and consistent process. And the best
part? You can start developing it today. Whether
you're 14 years old showing your first heifer
at the county fair, or you're 40 years old trying
to make better breeding decisions for your herd,
these principles will serve you well. Remember
that phrase I taught you earlier, good uttered
dairy cows with functional feet and legs. That's
your North Star. That's what separates the winners
from the rest. Thanks for tuning in to the Bullvine
Podcast. If this episode helped you, I'd love
to hear about it. Share your judging experiences,
your questions, or your success stories with
us. And remember, whether you're in the colored
shavings of the show ring or walking through
your barn making selection decisions, you're
looking for the same thing. Cows built to produce,
reproduce, and endure. Until next time, keep
evaluating, keep learning, and keep pushing the
industry forward. That's a wrap on today's episode.
Don't forget to subscribe to The Bullvine Podcast
wherever you get your podcasts and visit us at
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analysis.