Tapeworm - Good grief! It appears that you gave me carte blanche to "use all that fancy cow show judge talk" garbage, but nobody else can say that blather! I didn't think that I used that kind of "Judging Jingo" - I just sort of describe what I see according to WHAT THE ANIMAL IS. If we were looking at a heifer to be kept as a replacement - you take different factors into consideration. If it's a Herd Bull Prospect, then it's different features entirely. This little Lady is a MOMMA COW - and if she has a 3 1/2 month old calf that weighs 300# and she weighs 950# - she is a MOMMA COW - and that is what we are considerating. She has some features which can be criticized (a little narrow in front and a little short coupled) but nursing a 300# calf and staying in that good of a physical condition minimizes most petty criticisms. One could say that her teats are a little small, (from what we can see in the picture) but the calf obviously hasn't had much trouble getting hold of them, and the subject matter is "Brood Cow" and she certainly is that.
She has a good, strong level top line, she is wide hipped (easy calving) although I would like to see her carry her butt down a little closer to the hocks, but, again, we have to realize that this MOMMA COW is nursing a vigorous calf - so we cut her a little slack.
One thing that no one has mentioned: it appears that she is standing on some ground that is sort of 'falling off' to the left behind her. If she were standing on firm, level ground I think her pasterns and that left rear leg woud make her look considerably more stable. But that comes from looking at THIS picture, and one can only analyze what appears in the picture. - - - She may be chewing at the moment of taking the picture - but if not I wonder if she has a tooth problem? Just a thought. The appearance of her hide on her back should have no consideration of judging her as a Brood Cow. In the show ring - whole different thing entirely.
If she were mine - I would breed her to a Low EPD Birth Weight Continental Bull (Limm, Simm, Gelpvieh, Maine Anjou) and SMILE!
She is a fine addition to most anybody's Herd!
Just a suggestion; if you had had the camera at the level of the point of her shoulder I think you would have had a whole different appearing cow PICTURE. But we are not judging the picture or the cameraman - just the picture of a good looking brood cow - 8yrs old!
