Ruminant Production( Body conformation)

Training Institute For Technical Instruction(TITI)
Sanothimi- Bhaktapur, Nepal
EDLS207-LivestockProduction(Ruminant)
Krishna Aryal
Msc.Ag
Tribhuvan University
Nepal
05/26/2017
1
Krishna Aryal

Body conformation
and
Identification of
Ruminants
05/26/2017 2Krishna Aryal

An animal’s value is the sum of its performance and what
it looks like.
Thus conformation is needed to determine the value of
animals

What is conformation?
The shape or structure of something,
especially an animal.
Structural arrangement.
A symmetrical arrangement of the
parts of a thing.
Visual aspects of an animal.
What it looks like!

Why is conformation important?
Elements of conformation are thought to be
heritable.
Animals that have conformation defects may
have reduced productivity and/or longevity.
Many conformation defects get worse with
age.
If physical traits are not positively selected
for, they will be gradually lost.
Animals with good conformation are valued
and usually worth more money.
No one likes to look at ugly sheep!

1. Stature
2. Chest Width
3. Body Depth
4. Angularity
5. Rump Angle
6. Rump Width
7. Rear Legs Set
8. Rear Legs Rear View
9. Foot Angle
10. Fore Udder Attachment
11. Rear Udder Height
12. Central Ligament
13. Udder Depth
14. Front Teat Placement
15. Teat Length
16. Rear Teat Placement
17. Locomotion
18. Body condition score
What constitutes conformation in a Cattle and Buffalo?

Stature
Measured from the top of the spine in
between hips to ground.
Taller or higher stature is a desirable trait
This type of animal usually carries their
udder higher and prevent occurrence of
mastitis
Larger stature also reflects bigger body
size, tends to eat more feed and directs more
nutrients to produce higher milk

Chest Width
Indicates body capacity of an
animal and measured from the
inside surface between the top
of the front legs.
A cow with a very wide front
part indicates larger body
capacity and higher productive
ability
Narrow Intermediate Wide

Body Depth (BD)
Distance between top of spine and bottom of barrel at last rib –
the deepest point: independent of stature.
Deep body depth is indicative of larger digestive system which
is further associated with increased capacity to consume large
amounts of concentrate and forages and hence produce more milk
Shallow Intermediate Deep

Angularity
The angle and spring of the ribs
Ribs should be wide apart and slanted toward the rear and referred
to as openness.
Rib bones should have adequate depth
Lacks angularity Intermediate very angular

Rump Angle
Measured as the angle of the rump structure from hooks (hips) to
pins
Proper rump conformation is important because it provides
proper support to udder
A rump with the pin bone slightly lower than the hips, along with
wider pins is preferred - lesser calving difficulty, fewer
reproductive problems, better uterine drainage, improved genital
tract health
High pin Intermediate Slope05/26/2017 13Krishna Aryal

Rump Width
The distance between the most posterior point of pin bones.
The rump width on either side of extreme is associated with
reproductive ailments
Narrow Intermediate Wide

Rear Legs Rear View
 Direction of the rear feet when viewed from back
Cows that hock-in and toe out have increased stress on their feet
and legs and may have increased trauma to the rear udder as they
walk
The hind legs of a dairy cow should be set well apart and nearly
straight when viewed from the rear
Hock in Slight toe out Straight05/26/2017 15Krishna Aryal

Rear Legs Set
Angle measured at the front of the
hock.
The optimal angle at the hocks
measures between 150 to 155 Degrees
A bigger angle means straight rear
posty legs and a lower angle means
sickled rear legs
The most desirable set is somewhere
between the posty and sickled legs
The intermediate set of hock angle
could be related with increased herd
life
Straight Intermediate Sickled

Foot Angle
Angle at the front of the rear hoof measured from the floor to
the hairline at the right hoof
Cows that have a steep foot angle require less hoof trimming
have better mobility and greater longevity
The steep foot angle is the most desirable, because it enables
the cow to cope better with uneven and stony ground
Low Intermediate Steep

Fore Udder Attachment
The strength of attachment of the fore udder to the abdominal
wall
The strong fore udder attachment is the most desirable.
Loose Intermediate Strong

Front Teat Placement
The position of the front teat from the centre of quarter as viewed
from the rear.
Both fore and rear teat placements at either extreme of
measurement in cows increases the chances of being culled
Intermediate placement is desirable
Outside of quarter Intermediate Inside of quarter

Teat Length
The length of the front teat
The teat with intermediate length is most desirable
Short Intermediate Long

Udder Depth
The distance from the lowest part of the udder floor to the hock.
Higher udders are related with less mastitis, less udder injury and
greater longevity.
Deep Intermediate Shallow

Rear Udder Height
The distance between the bottom of the vulva and the milk
secreting tissue: in relation to the height of the animal
A high rear udder attachment is thought to be an indicator of
more udder and milk production capacity.
Low Intermediate High

Central Ligament
The depth of cleft at the base of the rear udder
A deep udder cleft is an indicator of a strong median suspensory
ligament
Strong suspensory ligament causes uniform placement of teats at
udder floor, whereas loose ligament make wide space between
teats which often creates problem during machine milking
Broken Intermediate Strong

Rear Teat Placement
The position of the rear teat from the centre of quarter
Intermediate placement is desirable
Outside Intermediate Inside

Locomotion
The use of legs and feet, length and direction of the step
Highest priority is given to the direction of the step and gets
highest score when we observe parallel and long strides, free and
smooth movement, footsteps of the rear legs is in or in front of the
footsteps of the forelegs
Severe abduction or adduction and short strides are treated as
poor locomotion

Body Condition Score
The covering of fat over the tail head & rump
Poor Intermediate Grossly fat

Hock development
Cleanness and dryness of the hock
The desirable type of hock is completely ‘clean and dry’ without
any fluid

Bone structure
The thickness and width of the bone structure
Coarse bone (broad and thick) is undesirable
Intermediate bones are desirable
Broad and thick Intermediate Flat05/26/2017 28Krishna Aryal

Rear udder width
Width of the udder at the point where the milk secretion tissue is
attached to the body
Higher width is desirable

Teat thickness
Thickness of the teat in the middle of the front teat
The teats with intermediate thickness is believed to be
intermediate type
Muscular teat is desirable

What constitutes conformation in a sheep and goat?
1. Mouth (teeth and bite)
2. Feet, legs, and hooves
3. Back, top line, shoulder
4. Volume and capacity
5. Substance of bone
6. Muscling
7. Frame size
8. Condition
9. Sex characteristics
10. Balance and eye appeal

Sound mouth
Bite (jaw alignment) Teeth

Jaw alignment (bite)
Properly aligned jaw
Teeth should meet dental pad
Sheep with jaw abnormalities
may have difficulty nursing, eating and/or
grazing.
Bites rarely improve with age.
Jaw defects are inherited.
Cull both parents, if known (?)
Diet can affect jaw alignment.

Jaw abnormalities
Overshot (parrot mouth) Undershot (monkey mouth)

Normal
Slight defect
1-3 mm
Cull rams (?)
Keep ewes
Severe defect
>3 mm
Cull rams and ewes

Feet, legs, hooves
Move freely
Painlessly
Normal gait
Straight legs that come out of each
corner of body
Stand squarely
Proper angle to pasterns.
Healthy hooves

Correct
Calf-
kneed
Weak pasterns Buck-
kneed
Front legs (side view)

Pasterns

. Front legs (front view)
Correct Splay-footed Pigeon-toed Knock-kneed

Rear legs (side view)
Correct
Sickle hocked Post-legged05/26/2017 40Krishna Aryal

.
Correct Bow-legged Cow-hocked
Rear legs (rear view)

Healthy hooves
Free from disease
No abnormal growth
No excessive growth
Favor dark colored hooves

Back, topline, shoulder
Neck: Strong, of medium length: extends
straight into the shoulder.
Shoulders: Blend smoothly into the neck
and back; shoulder blades have good width
between and are level with or slightly
higher than the back.
Back: Strong, smooth, and broad.
Weak shoulders or back are considered a
defect05/26/2017 43Krishna Aryal

Volume
capacity, spring of rib
Chest: Wide and deep enough to
provide ample room for good heart and
lung capacity.
Slightly less width than hindquarters in
females.
Ribs: Well sprung, wide and deep.
Abdomen: Large capacity for
consuming forage and carrying lambs
(bottom or side line should not
necessarily be straight).05/26/2017 44Krishna Aryal

Muscling
Well-developed upper arm muscle in rams.
Strong, smooth, and broad back.
Loin long, wide, deep and well-fleshed.
Wide and well fleshed rump; rounded appearance; deep
in twist.
Muscles of the thigh are thick, with obvious muscularity
on the inner and outer thigh, carried down to the shank.

Substance of bone
Thickness of the cannon bone of the front leg
Light bone structure is considered a defect
Frame size (height + length)
Frame size is used to predict the size of the lamb when it is
finished; larger framed lambs finish at heavier weights than
smaller framed lambs.
Frame size may influence the ease with which lambs are
finished, especially on forage diets.

Sex characteristics
Rams/Wether should be masculine Ewes/ Does should be feminine

Testicles
Two testicles
Well hung
Free from disease
Similar size
Firm
Movable

Teats and udder
Two normal teats
Equal size udder halves
Free from disease
No lumps, hardness
Good attachment
Two functional halves

Balance and eye appeal
How well the animal’s parts fit together.
Straightness of lines
Proportionalism
Smoothness
Attractiveness

Identification of Ruminants
Animal identification using a means of marking is a process
done to identify and track specific animals.
Identification allow sound management of:
Breeding programs
 Disease identification and treatment
 Sale of stock–including quality assurance and disease
control/traceability
 Animal assessment and selection
 Ownership

Method of Identification
Ear tagging
Ear tags are metals pieces that have letters
or numbers engraved on them
They are readily available, relatively cheap,
and relatively easy to use
They can be torn out and lost, there is some
pain associated with their insertion, and poor
technique can lead to infection.

Ear Tattooing
Method of putting an identification mark on
animals with light coloured ears
Involves punching several small holes with
a die (specifically meant for tattooing) in the
form of letters or numbers through the skin
on the inside of the animal’s ear and they are
then filled with tattoo ink

Number tagging
Involves fastening metal tags to neck chains
and putting the chain around the neck of
each animal

Branding
Normally done when the
animals are very young or
before they are weaned
Involves gentle press of a
heated number or symbol on
the body of the animal
Causes partial burning of the
skin tissue and results into a
permanent scar showing the
number or symbol

Ear notching
Involves making notches cut in
the ears of the animals
Notch represents a number
based on its location (in the
bottom, top or end of the ear as
well as the ear it is in)
This method is commonly used
on pigs goats and sheep.

Thank You
Any Queries?????

Ruminant Production( Body conformation)

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