Changes in Type Classifications of Dairy Cattle

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Abstract
Holsteins in the Iowa State College herd were classified 3 times at yearly intervals by 3 classifiers, working simultaneously and independently, to measure the amount and causes of change in type ratings of dairy females. Data concerned 65 cows that had calved before they were classified the first time, 57 which were classified at least once before calving and at least once after calving, and 92 heifers which had not yet calved when the third classification was made. Cows change importantly in type from time to time, out disagreement in ideals between experienced classifiers is small. The largest changes in type occur between a rating made prior to first calving and another made sometime after calving. Differences between heifers are smaller than differences among cows, or else the judges are less certain of the differences before first calving.