 In this video, we will be focusing on the following three topics, ribs, chest, and barrel. Each one has a different purpose to help the cow produce quality milk and to grow a calf. Depending on the quality of each characteristic, the cow will increase or decrease in value and productivity. According to the PDCA scorecard, each characteristic that you see mentioned has a different point value. A lactating dairy cow's ribs should be wide apart, flat, with a curvature directing towards the back of the cow. When judging a class, a cow that looks closed with smaller ribs would go towards the bottom. A cow that has about one and a half to two inches of space between them would be desired. The reason behind this is an open rib cage will provide ample room for a calf to grow inside that cow. During the pregnancy and after calving, having enough room inside her to be able to eat and drink to gain enough nutrients to provide milk for the calf, producer, and to maintain the cow's own health is important. In the photos provided here, cow B on the right is shown as closed or not enough room between her ribs. Cow A has a visible rib cage and wide apart, flat ribs. They are rounded and directed towards the rear of cow A. When looking at the chest floor, the judge should want it to be wide and deep, providing enough capacity for vital organs. In the photo on the right with cow B, the judge can see that the width between the cow's front legs is small. It is also shallow, meaning the depth of the chest is not very long from the top back line of the cow, compared to cow A on the left, whose chest is nice and wide and has a little more depth to her from the top line. The barrel of a dairy cow should be long, wide, and deep. It should get wider the farther back the barrel goes, meaning the barrel should be wider near the udder than it is towards the chest. In the photo shown here, cow B on the right is shallow, shorten her barrel width and length, compared to cow A on the left, which has a very good roundness to her rib, and good depth and is long. Thank you for watching. Be sure to check out our other livestock judging videos as well as the Alabama Cooperative Extension YouTube channel.