B-C-D-A is my placing for this class of Brown Swiss cows. B places over C because of her advantage in udder. B shows more depth of medial suspensory ligament and less width between her front teats. She has more quality to her udder with a nicer shape to the bottom of her rear udder. In addition, B is straighter and stronger over her topline, displaying a stronger loin and more nearly level pins. C keeps this a close placing as she is more balanced in her rear quarters, noting B is slightly light in the left rear. C is also deeper in her fore rib.

C places over D because of her advantage in dairy quality and femininity. C is longer and cleaner through her head and neck, sharper over her withers, cleaner down her topline, more prominent over her hooks and pins, and thinner through her thighs. C is cleaner and flatter boned in the hock and shows a more correct set to the hock noting D is too straight. I grant that D has a shallower udder.

D’s superior udder attachments logically places her over A in my bottom pair. D’s fore udder blends more smoothly into the body wall and is much more snugly attached. She is also higher and wider in her rear udder. D has a big advantage in body capacity being deeper in her heart and chest and carrying that depth advantage out through her rear rib and flank. D blends more smoothly through her shoulders and is fuller in her crops. I will admit that A is carrying less condition but she lacks the strength of udder attachments to place any higher in the class.

Sherry Smith
Glenford, Ohio
Smith placed the BROWN SWISS. An independent dairy nutritionist and Ohio 4-H Dairy Program Assistant, Smith coaches the Ohio 4-H dairy cattle judging teams. She has shown cattle most of her life and exhibited multiple Brown Swiss All-American nominations. Additionally, Sherry and her husband, Neal, own Brown Swiss, Holsteins and Jerseys in various partnerships. Smith has judged Brown Swiss and Milking Shorthorns at World Dairy Expo, the North American International Livestock Exposition, the All-American Dairy Show along with state fairs in Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Nebraska.