Table 2. Trait definitions and heritabilities used in national evaluations for
Holstein conformation as provided by participating countries
AUS=Australia, BEL=Belgium, CAN=Canada, CHE=Switzerland, DEU=Germany, DNK=Denmark,
ESP=Spain, FRA=France, GBR=United Kingdom, ITA=Italy, NLD=Netherlands, SWE=Sweden,
USA=United States
Trait: Stature
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.45	Height of rump between hips
BEL	0.59	Height of rump between hips
CAN	0.53	Height at hips
CHE	0.42	Wither height
DEU	0.41	Stature
DNK	0.60	Stature
ESP	0.40	Height at rump between hips
FRA	0.47	Height at Sacrum
GBR	0.48	Stature
ITA	0.38	Stature
NLD	0.60	Distance ground to hip bone/vertebrae
SWE	0.35	Height at rump between hip bones
USA	0.42	Distance ground to hip bone/vertebrae
Trait: Chest width
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Distance between fore legs
BEL	0.23	Distance between fore legs
CAN	0.27	Chest width
CHE	0.31	Distance between fore legs
DEU	0.18	Chest width
DNK	0.18	Chest width
ESP	0.15	Distance between fore legs
FRA	0.36	Chest Depth
GBR	0.25	Chest width
ITA	0.29	Chest width
NLD	0.30	Distance between front legs
SWE	0.20	Width between front legs, between shoulder blades and fore rib
USA	0.31	Width of chest, muzzle, and substance of bone
Trait: Body depth
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Depth of the last rib
BEL	0.31	Depth of the last rib
CAN	0.32	Body depth
CHE	0.31	Deepest point of the body
DEU	0.24	Body depth
DNK	0.31	Body depth
ESP	0.25	Depth and width of rib cage, side view
FRA	0.36	Chest Depth
GBR	0.43	Body depth
ITA	0.31	Body depth
NLD	0.35	Depth and width of rib cage, related to stature
SWE	0.30	Depth at the rear rib
USA	0.37	Depth of rib cage
Trait: Angularity
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Angularity
BEL	0.30	Dairy character
CAN	0.30	Dairy character
CHE	0.22	Openess and angle of ribs, flatness of bone
DEU	0.24	Angularity
DNK	0.31	Dairy form
ESP	0.27	Sharpness of back and thights, openess of ribs, flatness of bone
FRA	-	-
GBR	0.33	Angularity
ITA	0.31	Angularity
NLD	0.35	Sharpness of back and thights, openess of ribs, flatness of bone
SWE	0.35	Dairyness
USA	0.29	Dairy Form
Trait: Rump angle
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Angle of the rump from hips to pins
BEL	0.35	Angle of the rump from hips to pins
CAN	0.43	Rump angle
CHE	0.40	Angle of the rump from hips to pins
DEU	0.26	Rump angle
DNK	0.32	Rump, side view
ESP	0.11	Angle of the rump from hips to pins
FRA	0.34	Rump angle
GBR	0.31	Rump angle
ITA	0.25	Rump angle
NLD	0.35	Slope from hips to pins
SWE	0.35	Slope from hips to pins
USA	0.33	Angle of the rump structure from hooks to pins
Trait: Rump width
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Distance between pins
BEL	0.28	Distance between pins
CAN	0.34	Width at pins
CHE	0.51	Distance between pins
DEU	0.28	Rump width
DNK	0.27	Rump width
ESP	0.16	Distance between pins
FRA	0.32	Width at Hips
GBR	0.30	Rump width
ITA	0.29	Rump width
NLD	0.30	Distance between pins
SWE	0.30	Distance between pins
USA	0.26	Distance between inside wall of pins
Trait: Rear legset
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.17	Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
BEL	0.19	Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
CAN	0.26	Rear legs side view
CHE	0.16	Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
DEU	0.15	Rear leg set
DNK	0.23	Rear legs side view
ESP	0.07	Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
FRA	0.07	Rear leg set
GBR	0.20	Rear leg set
ITA	0.16	Rear leg set
NLD	0.35	Curve in the hock, side view
SWE	0.20	Hock angle, side view
USA	0.21	Amount of set to the hock joint
Trait: Foot angle
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.21	Side view foot diagonal
BEL	0.14	Foot angle
CAN	0.13	Foot angle
CHE	-	-
DEU	0.12	Foot angle
DNK	0.13	Foot angle
ESP	0.07	Side view of the rear foot angle
FRA	0.10	Heel depth
GBR	0.14	Foot angle
ITA	0.18	Foot angle
NLD	0.20	Claw diagonal
SWE	0.20	Toe angle formed by slope of upper claw and sole
USA	0.15	Steepness of the angle of the foot
Trait: Fore udder
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder - side view
BEL	0.23	Strength of attachment between body and fore udder
CAN	0.27	Fore udder attachment
CHE	0.22	Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder - side view
DEU	0.21	Fore udder
DNK	0.24	Strength of attachement
ESP	0.18	Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder
FRA	0.20	Fore udder
GBR	0.21	Fore udder
ITA	0.15	Fore udder
NLD	0.35	Angle between the fore udder and body wall
SWE	0.30	Strength of attachement
USA	0.29	Strength of the udder attachment to the body wall by lateral ligaments
Trait: Rear udder heigth
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.27	Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
BEL	0.29	Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
CAN	0.24	Rear udder height
CHE	0.24	Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
DEU	0.22	Rear udder heigth
DNK	0.22	Rear udder width
ESP	0.23	Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
FRA	0.20	Rear udder heigth
GBR	0.27	Rear udder heigth
ITA	0.20	Rear udder heigth
NLD	0.35	Distance between vulva and udder fold
SWE	0.35	Distance between base of vulva and top of milk secreting tissue
USA	0.28	Point of rear udder attachment
Trait: Udder support
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.27	Cleft of udder
BEL	0.22	Cleft of udder
CAN	0.15	Median suspensory
CHE	0.26	Cleft of udder
DEU	0.13	Udder support
DNK	0.19	Udder cleft
ESP	0.17	Cleft of udder
FRA	0.26	Udder cleft
GBR	0.23	Udder support
ITA	0.15	Udder support
NLD	0.25	Suspensory ligament
SWE	0.15	Depth of udder cleft, strength of ligament
USA	0.24	Depth of the cleft through the front and rear udder
Trait: Udder depth
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Distance between hock and bottom of udder
BEL	0.38	Distance between hock and bottom of udder
CAN	0.39	Udder depth
CHE	0.28	Distance between hock and bottom of udder
DEU	0.26	Udder depth
DNK	0.36	Udder depth
ESP	0.15	Udder to hocks
FRA	0.35	Udder-hocks distance
GBR	0.34	Udder depth
ITA	0.29	Udder depth
NLD	0.45	Distance between udder floor and ground, related to stature
SWE	0.20	Distance between udder base and hock
USA	0.28	Distance between hock and udder floor
Trait: Teat placement
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.33	Placement of front teats - front view
BEL	0.38	Placement of front teats
CAN	0.31	Front teat placement
CHE	0.43	Placement of front teats
DEU	0.22	Teat placement
DNK	0.40	Front teat placement
ESP	0.21	Distance between front teats
FRA	0.30	Front teat placement
GBR	0.28	Teat placement
ITA	0.22	Teat placement
NLD	0.45	Distance between tips of teats, front view
SWE	0.20	Placement of teat on the udder quarter
USA	0.26	Placement of front teats viewed from the rear
Trait: Teat length
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.24	Length of front teats - side view
BEL	0.36	Length of front teats
CAN	0.30	Front teat length
CHE	0.40	Length of front teats - side view
DEU	0.25	Teat length
DNK	0.41	Front teat length
ESP	0.20	Front teat length
FRA	0.30	Teat length
GBR	0.33	Teat length
ITA	0.20	Teat length
NLD	0.45	Teat length
SWE	0.30	Distance between teat base and tip
USA	0.26	Length of front teats
Trait: Overall conformation
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.30	General appearance
BEL	0.43	Final score (composite trait)
CAN	0.32	Final score (individual trait)
CHE	0.27	Final score (composite trait)
DEU	0.25	Relative total breeding value for type (RZE)
DNK	0.30	Body
ESP	0.29	Final class (individual trait)
FRA	0.30	Overall score (composite trait)
GBR	0.33	Overall conformation (composite trait)
ITA	0.15	Final class (individual trait)
NLD	0.30	Overall conformation (composite trait)
SWE	-	-
USA	0.29	Overall conformation (individual trait)
Trait: Overall udder
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.30	Mammary system
BEL	0.36	Overall udder (composite trait)
CAN	0.29	Mammary system
CHE	0.22	Overall udder (composite trait)
DEU	0.22	Overall udder (composite trait)
DNK	0.25	Mammary (composite trait)
ESP	0.27	Mammary system (individual trait)
FRA	0.30	Udder score (composite trait)
GBR	0.26	Overall udder (composite trait)
ITA	0.25	Overall udder (composite trait)
NLD	0.35	Qualification of the total udder (composite trait)
SWE	0.20	Overall udder (composite trait)
USA	0.28	Overall udder (composite trait)
Trait: Overall feet & legs
Country	h2	Definition
AUS	0.21	Side view foot diagonal
BEL	0.15	Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
CAN	0.21	Feet & legs (individual trait)
CHE	0.12	Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
DEU	0.17	Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
DNK	0.15	Feet and legs (composite trait)
ESP	0.10	Feet and legs (individual trait)
FRA	0.07	Feet and legs score (composite trait)
GBR	0.15	Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
ITA	-	-
NLD	0.20	Set and bone quality of legs, quality of feet, and use of legs and feet (composite trait)
SWE	-	-
USA	0.17	Feet & legs score