Table 3. Trait definitions and heritabilities used in national evaluations for
Holstein and Jersey conformation as provided by participating countries (parameters and
trait definitions for Holstein and Jersey are identical in Australia and New Zealand)
     
AUS=Australia, BEL=Belgium, CAN=Canada, CHE=Switzerland, CHR=Swizerland (Red Holstein), 
DEU=Germany, DNK=Denmark, ESP=Spain, FIN=Finland, FRA=France, GBR=United Kingdom, 
HUN=Hungary, ITA=Italy, NLD=Netherlands, NZL=New Zealand, POL=Poland, SWE=Sweden, 
USA=United States, ZAF=Rep. of South Africa

Trait:  Stature
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.45 Height of rump between hips
BEL 0.50 Height of rump between hips
CAN 0.53 Height at hips (Holstein)
  0.42 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.42 Wither height
CHR 0.45 Height at withers
DEU 0.41 Stature
DNK 0.60 Stature (Holstein)
  0.42 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.41 Height at rump between hips
FIN 0.74 Height at withers
FRA 0.47 Height at Sacrum
GBR 0.48 Stature (Holstein)
  0.44 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.43 Stature
ITA 0.38 Stature
NLD 0.60 Distance ground to hip bone/vertebrae
NZL 0.40 Hight at the shoulders of the animal
POL 0.63 Stature
SWE 0.35 Height at rump between hip bones
USA 0.42 Distance ground to hip bone/vertebrae (Holstein)
  0.39 Stature (Jersey)
ZAF 0.20 Wither height

Trait:  Chest width
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Distance between fore legs
BEL 0.20 Distance between fore legs
CAN 0.27 Chest width (Holstein)
  0.16 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.31 Distance between fore legs
CHR 0.20 Distance between fore legs
DEU 0.18 Chest width
DNK 0.18 Chest width (Holstein)
  0.17 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.20 Distance between fore legs
FIN - -
FRA 0.36 Chest Depth
GBR 0.25 Chest width (Holstein)
  0.18 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.28 Chest width
ITA 0.29 Chest width
NLD 0.30 Distance between front legs
NZL - -
POL 0.13 Chest width
SWE 0.20 Width between front legs, between shoulder blades and fore rib
USA 0.31 Width of chest, muzzle, and substance of bone (Holstein)
  0.25 Strength (Jersey)
ZAF 0.08 Chest width

Trait:  Body depth
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Depth of the last rib
BEL 0.33 Depth of the last rib
CAN 0.32 Body depth (Holstein)
  0.27 Capacity (Jersey)
CHE 0.31 Deepest point of the body
CHR 0.36 Depth of the last rib
DEU 0.24 Body depth
DNK 0.31 Body depth (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.26 Depth and width of rib cage, side view
FIN - -
FRA 0.36 Chest Depth
GBR 0.43 Body depth (Holstein)
  0.27 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.30 Body depth
ITA 0.31 Body depth
NLD 0.35 Depth and width of rib cage, related to stature
NZL 0.24 Strength and depth of chest and body, viewed from side, rear and front, in relation to physical size
POL 0.15 Body depth
SWE 0.30 Depth at the rear rib
USA 0.37 Depth of rib cage (Holstein)
  0.26 Body depth (Jersey)
ZAF 0.18 Body depth

Trait:  Angularity
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Angularity
BEL 0.32 Angularity
CAN 0.30 Dairy character (Holstein)
  0.21 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.22 Openess and angle of ribs, flatness of bone
CHR - -
DEU 0.24 Angularity
DNK 0.31 Dairy form (Holstein)
  0.27 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.28 Sharpness of back and thights, openess of ribs, flatness of bone
FIN - -
FRA - -
GBR 0.33 Angularity (Holstein)
  0.29 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.26 Angularity
ITA 0.31 Angularity
NLD 0.35 Sharpness of back and thights, openess of ribs, flatness of bone
NZL - -
POL 0.37 Angularity
SWE 0.35 Dairyness
USA 0.29 Dairy Form (Holstein)
  0.23 -"- (Jersey)
ZAF 0.14 Dairy form

Trait:  Rump angle
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Angle of the rump from hips to pins
BEL 0.28 Angle of the rump from hips to pins
CAN 0.43 Rump angle (Holstein)
  0.15 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.40 Angle of the rump from hips to pins
CHR 0.37 Angle of the rump from hips to pins, side view
DEU 0.26 Rump angle
DNK 0.32 Rump, side view (Holstein)
  0.29 Rump angle (Jersey)
ESP 0.30 Angle of the rump from hips to pins
FIN - -
FRA 0.34 Rump angle
GBR 0.31 Rump angle (Holstein)
  0.29 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.28 Rump angle
ITA 0.25 Rump angle
NLD 0.35 Slope from hips to pins
NZL 0.24 Angle of a line between the centre of the hips and the top of the pins
POL 0.25 Rump angle
SWE 0.35 Slope from hips to pins
USA 0.33 Angle of the rump structure from hooks to pins (Holstein)
  0.31 Rump angle (Jersey)
ZAF 0.15 Rump angle

Trait:  Rump width
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Distance between pins
BEL 0.28 Distance between pins
CAN 0.34 Width at pins (Holstein)
  0.23 Width at thurls (Jersey)
CHE 0.51 Distance between pins
CHR 0.24 Distance between pins
DEU 0.28 Rump width
DNK 0.27 Rump width (Holstein)
  0.32 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.28 Distance between pins
FIN - -
FRA 0.32 Width at Hips
GBR 0.30 Rump width (Holstein)
  0.24 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.21 Rump width
ITA 0.29 Rump width
NLD 0.30 Distance between pins
NZL 0.23 Width of pins, hips and thurls relative to the size
POL 0.24 Rump width
SWE 0.30 Distance between pins
USA 0.26 Distance between inside wall of pins (Holstein)
  0.20 Thurl width (Jersey)
ZAF 0.17 Thurl width

Trait:  Rear leg set
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 (Holstein)
  0.15 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.16 Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
CHR 0.27 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 (Holstein)
  0.14 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.17 Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
FIN 0.26 Side view of the angle of the hock in the rear leg
FRA 0.07 Rear leg set
GBR 0.20 Rear leg set (Holstein)
  0.18 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.13 Rear leg set
ITA 0.16 Rear leg set
NLD 0.35 Curve in the hock, side view
NZL 0.07 Straightness or curvature of the back legs
POL 0.12 Rear leg set
SWE 0.20 Hock angle, side view
USA 0.21 Amount of set to the hock joint (Holstein)
  0.10 Rear legs (Jersey)
ZAF 0.07 Rear leg set

Trait:  Rear leg rear view
Country h2 Definition
AUS - -
BEL - -
CAN 0.10 Rear leg rear view (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
CHE 0.12 Rear leg rear view
CHR - -
DEU 0.15 Angle of toe out of the rear feet
DNK 0.13 Rear leg rear view (Holstein)
  0.12 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.12 Rear leg rear view
FIN - -
FRA - -
GBR 0.10 Locomotion (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
HUN 0.05 Rear leg rear view
ITA 0.15 Rear leg rear view
NLD 0.15 Amount of hock-in and/or toe-out
NZL - -
POL - -
SWE 0.20 Parallellity of hind legs
USA 0.15 Amount of hock-in and/or toe-out (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
ZAF - -

Trait:  Foot angle
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.21 Side view foot diagonal
BEL 0.14 Foot angle
CAN 0.13 Foot angle (Holstein)
  0.09 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.11 Heel depth
CHR 0.22 Foot angle
DEU 0.12 Foot angle
DNK 0.13 Foot angle (Holstein)
  0.09 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.14 Side view of the rear foot angle
FIN 0.25 Angle between ground and the middle of the rear foot and claw, side view
FRA 0.10 Heel depth
GBR 0.14 Foot angle (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.08 Foot angle
ITA 0.18 Foot angle
NLD 0.20 Claw diagonal
NZL - -
POL 0.17 Foot angle
SWE 0.20 Toe angle formed by slope of upper claw and sole
USA 0.15 Steepness of the angle of the foot (Holstein)
  0.10 Foot angle (Jersey)
ZAF 0.11 Foot angle

Trait:  Fore udder
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder - side view
BEL 0.24 Strength of attachment between body and fore udder
CAN 0.27 Fore udder attachment (Holstein)
  0.20 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.22 Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder - side view
CHR 0.31 Attachment between body and fore udder
DEU 0.21 Fore udder
DNK 0.24 Strength of attachement (Holstein)
  0.25 Fore udder attachement (Jersey)
ESP 0.21 Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder
FIN 0.28 Strength and quality of attachment between body and fore udder - side view
FRA 0.20 Fore udder
GBR 0.21 Fore udder (Holstein)
  0.24 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.14 Fore udder
ITA 0.15 Fore udder
NLD 0.35 Angle between the fore udder and body wall
NZL 0.21 How well the front udder is attached to the body wall
POL 0.17 Fore udder
SWE 0.30 Strength of attachement
USA 0.29 Strength of the udder attachment to the body wall by lateral ligaments (Holstein)
  0.22 Fore udder attachement (Jersey)
ZAF 0.08 Fore udder

Trait:  Rear udder height
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.27 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
BEL 0.27 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
CAN 0.24 Rear udder height (Holstein)
  0.21 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.24 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
CHR 0.36 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
DEU 0.22 Rear udder heigth
DNK 0.22 Rear udder width (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.22 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
FIN 0.31 Distance between vulva and milk secreting tissue
FRA 0.20 Rear udder heigth
GBR 0.27 Rear udder heigth (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.15 Distance between highest point of udder and middle point of hock-pin line
ITA 0.20 Rear udder heigth
NLD 0.35 Distance between vulva and udder fold
NZL 0.24 Height and width of the rear udder attachment as distinct from udder support
POL 0.23 Read udder height
SWE 0.35 Distance between base of vulva and top of milk secreting tissue
USA 0.28 Point of rear udder attachment (Holstein)
  0.26 Rear udder height (Jersey)
ZAF 0.14 Rear udder height

Trait:  Udder support
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.27 Cleft of udder
BEL 0.20 Ligament
CAN 0.15 Median suspensory (Holstein)
  0.22 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.26 Cleft of udder
CHR 0.34 Visibility of suspensory ligament
DEU 0.13 Udder support
DNK 0.19 Udder cleft (Holstein)
  0.17 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.17 Cleft of udder
FIN 0.22 Central ligament
FRA 0.26 Udder cleft
GBR 0.23 Udder support (Holstein)
  0.14 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.12 Udder support
ITA 0.15 Udder support
NLD 0.25 Suspensory ligament
NZL 0.23 Strength of the suspensory ligament as viewed from the rear
POL 0.12 Udder support
SWE 0.15 Depth of udder cleft, strength of ligament
USA 0.24 Depth of the cleft through the front and rear udder (Holstein)
  0.20 Suspensory ligament (Jersey)
ZAF 0.09 Udder support

Trait:  Udder depth
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Distance between hock and bottom of udder
BEL 0.27 Distance between hock and bottom of udder
CAN 0.39 Udder depth (Holstein)
  0.33 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.28 Distance between hock and bottom of udder
CHR 0.34 Distance between hock and bottom of udder
DEU 0.26 Udder depth
DNK 0.36 Udder depth (Holstein)
  0.37 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.30 Distance between hock and bottom of udder
FIN 0.32 Distance between hock and bottom of udder - rear view
FRA 0.35 Udder-hocks distance
GBR 0.34 Udder depth (Holstein)
  0.33 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.27 Udder depth
ITA 0.29 Udder depth
NLD 0.45 Distance between udder floor and ground, related to stature
NZL - -
POL 0.21 Udder depth
SWE 0.20 Distance between udder base and hock
USA 0.28 Distance between hock and udder floor (Holstein)
  0.38 Udder depth (Jersey)
ZAF 0.15 Udder depth

Trait:  Teat placement
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.33 Placement of front teats - front view
BEL 0.32 Placement of front teats
CAN 0.31 Front teat placement (Holstein)
  0.27 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.43 Placement of front teats
CHR 0.48 Placement of front teats - front view
DEU 0.22 Teat placement
DNK 0.40 Front teat placement (Holstein)
  0.41 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.25 Distance between front teats
FIN 0.42 Placement of front teats - front view
FRA 0.30 Front teat placement
GBR 0.28 Teat placement (Holstein)
  0.34 Rear teat placement (Jersey)
HUN 0.20 Teat placement
ITA 0.22 Teat placement
NLD 0.45 Distance between tips of teats, front view
NZL 0.28 Placement of the front teats relative to the centre of the quarters as viewed from the rear
POL 0.20 Teat placement
SWE 0.20 Placement of teat on the udder quarter
USA 0.26 Placement of front teats viewed from the rear (Holstein)
  0.24 Front teat placement (Jersey)
ZAF 0.17 Teat placement

Trait:  Teat length
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.24 Length of front teats - side view
BEL 0.29 Length of front teats
CAN 0.30 Front teat length (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
CHE 0.40 Length of front teats - side view
CHR 0.51 Length of front teats - side view
DEU 0.25 Teat length
DNK 0.41 Front teat length (Holstein)
  0.42 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.29 Front teat length
FIN 0.47 Length of front teats - side view
FRA 0.30 Teat length
GBR 0.33 Teat length (Holstein)
  0.37 -"- (Jersey)
HUN - -
ITA 0.20 Teat length
NLD 0.45 Teat length
NZL - -
POL 0.23 Teat length
SWE 0.30 Distance between teat base and tip
USA 0.31 Length of front teats (Holstein)
  0.26 Teat length (Jersey)
ZAF 0.27 Teat length

Trait:  Overall conformation
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.30 General appearance
BEL 0.35 Final score (composite trait)
CAN 0.32 Final score (individual trait) (Holstein)
  0.22 -"- (Jersey)
CHE 0.27 Final score (composite trait)
CHR 0.34 Overall score (composite trait)
DEU 0.25 Relative total breeding value for type (RZE)
DNK 0.30 Body (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.24 Final class (individual trait)
FIN - -
FRA 0.30 Overall score (composite trait)
GBR 0.33 Overall conformation (composite trait) (Holstein)
  0.30 Total score (Jersey)
HUN 0.20 Overall conformation
ITA 0.15 Final class (individual trait)
NLD 0.30 Overall conformation (composite trait)
NZL - -
POL 0.39 Overall conformation score
SWE 0.20 Overall conformation (composite trait)
USA 0.31 Overall conformation (individual trait) (Holstein)
  0.23 Final score (Jersey)
ZAF - -

Trait:  Overall udder
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.30 Mammary system
BEL 0.27 Overall udder (composite trait)
CAN 0.29 Mammary system (Holstein)
  0.22 Oveall udder score (Jersey)
CHE 0.22 Overall udder (composite trait)
CHR 0.37 Composite score for udder
DEU 0.22 Overall udder (composite trait)
DNK 0.25 Mammary (composite trait) (Holstein)
  0.25 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.25 Mammary system (individual trait)
FIN - -
FRA 0.30 Udder score (composite trait)
GBR 0.26 Overall udder (composite trait) (Holstein)
  0.30 -"- (Jersey)
HUN 0.12 Overall udder
ITA 0.25 Overall udder (composite trait)
NLD 0.35 Qualification of the total udder (composite trait)
NZL 0.25 All traits pertaining to the udder
POL 0.16 Overall udder score
SWE 0.20 Overall udder (composite trait)
USA 0.28 Overall udder (composite trait) (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
ZAF - -

Trait:  Overall feet & legs
Country h2 Definition
AUS 0.21 Side view foot diagonal
BEL 0.17 Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
CAN 0.21 Feet & legs (individual trait) (Holstein)
  0.13 Overall feet & leg score (Jersey)
CHE 0.12 Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
CHR 0.22 Composite score for feet and legs
DEU 0.17 Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
DNK 0.15 Feet and legs (composite trait) (Holstein)
  0.15 -"- (Jersey)
ESP 0.17 Feet and legs (individual trait)
FIN - -
FRA 0.07 Feet and legs score (composite trait)
GBR 0.15 Overall feet & legs (composite trait) (Holstein)
  0.30 -"- (Jersey)
HUN - -
ITA 0.15 Overall feet & legs (composite trait)
NLD 0.20 Set and bone quality of legs, quality of feet, and use of legs and feet (composite trait)
NZL - -
POL 0.10 Overall feet and leg score
SWE 0.20 Overall feet & legs
USA 0.15 Feet & legs score (Holstein)
  - - (Jersey)
ZAF - -


Last Updated on 2001-05-15
By Dan Englund