| 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 | ||
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | - | - |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | - | - |
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| 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 | - | - |
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| 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