Research Article

Assessment of external appearance of Black-Motley cows

Mariа Kohut

Institute of Agriculture of Carpathian Region of National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 14(4), 2015, 101‒108

Abstract. The research was conducted on first-calf heifers of Black-Motley breed of Lviv region and consisted in the assessment of their body conformation by type according to a guide [Instruction classification… 2012]. Results of the linear classification of animals showed body conformation differences among cattle of dairy type, which points to the necessity of further selective breeding to improve its external appearance. Characteristics of various cows that are descendants of Black-Motley bulls were assessed. The analysis of obtained results concerning external appearance characteristics showed that the studied animals had average height, while the tallest ones were descendants of a Derby bull. The descendants of Starbuck and Sheriff bulls had inborn errors such as a sloping rump, while those of Sheriff and Softwar bulls had poor fore udder attachment. The main drawback of the entire herd is highly raised rumps in Softwar and Sheriff descendants. However, it is worth noting that all of the descendants had a correct form of teats that were of cylindrical and conical shape and of average length with an optimum position of udder quarters in the middle.

Keywords: cows, linear assessment, Ukraine, Black-Motley breed, external appearance