6 
BULLETIN .434, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
one great difference in conformation becomes at once apparent. 
While the beef cow has a short, square, and blocky appearance, 
with short, thick neck, straight back, deep body, and short legs, the 
dairy cow shows an angular, wedge-shaped body with slender neck, 
incurving thighs, and large udder development. 
It should be borne in mind that the transformation of feed into 
milk is an intricate process which goes on within the animal and 
that the various points of conformation particularly noted in the 
dairy type are but indications that this process will be carried on 
efficiently. As an aid to students in examining an animal in a sys- 
tematic manner and in order that no details may be overlooked by 
( 
^ 
\<k' \h . V 
Fig. 5. — Outlines showing comparison of (upper) dairy and (lower) beef type from 
(a) front, (6) rear, and (c) side views. 
beginners, score cards are used in stock judging. The score card is 
a classification of the points of the animal, giving to each a weight 
or percentage intended to indicate its relative importance to the 
whole. These points relate, of course, to the external form of cer- 
tain portions of the animal's body and so far as is possible have a 
direct relation to the function of that organ or part. As is true 
with all classifications, there should be as little overlapping as pos- 
sible in the divisions. The following- described cards for dairy 
animals are offered as embodying many of the best features of such 
score cards in use in the agricultural colleges. It must be understood 
that these are general score cards for dairy types. 
