Learn to differentiate them

HEAD: head, is particularly who bears the words race and the animal is or is not well defined racially. In the head we must examine the profile , seen laterally , the shape of eyes and ears, viewed from the front , its size, shape and location in relation to the eye;

In the figure below, side view , we found that the typical profile of the half blood is sub -convex , that of 5 / 8 is typically rectilinear and the 3 / 4 is sub -concave , because it has a slight depression in the forehead region . A rule of thumb for understanding this terminology is as follows:
- The half blood has 50% of blood Gir / Holstein = sub -convex ;
- The 3 / 4 has 75 % of Dutch = sub -concave ;
- The 5 / 8 owns 62.5% of Dutch, ie it is exactly between the half blood and 3 / 4 . Mixing sub- convex ( half ) with the sub -concave ( 3 / 4 ) we obtain the profile straight ( 5 / 8 ).

Even this figure, with this side view of the head , we should see the eyes of animals, another feature that helps us in differentiating the degree of blood. Normally the half blood has eyes elliptical with the presence of wrinkles on the top , a legacy inherited Gyr , while three quarters , has rounded and slightly bulging eyes of the skull , a feature more typical of Holstein cows . Like the 5 / 8 are intermediate , medium eyes met in form and boss.

In the next figure, we see the head forward and look at the ears , its shape, size , position and direction in relation to the eyes.

NECK: At the top of the neck , which starts in the neck region and continues until the palette of the animal , we find the cervical spine , covered by the rhomboid muscles ( garrote ) and the final third of the neck , the region in dairy cattle , call cross , formed by the scapula ( shoulder bone or palette ).
Typically this region , we find the termite of the zebu, which is the development of strong rhomboid muscles and their adjacent marked difference for the Dutch cattle , where normally this region is well fleshed and acute.
Loosely speaking , the rule follows the same pattern of the head : the higher the blood level of the Dutch animal, as is the case with 3 / 4 , the feature tends to resemble a Holstein , which is more fleshed and triangular. Already the half blood , there is the rhomboid muscles a little more developed, the greater presence of blood turn , and 5 / 8 with intermediate format , as we see in the picture below .
Of course, that if we evaluate the characteristics of a dairy cow , it is preferable that this region is more gaunt and triangulated without excess muscle coverage, with tall neck , strong and well set to head to the thorax and harmoniously implemented in any one of the degrees of blood.

Still in the neck , we at the bottom , the region we call barb , which in turn , is usually well developed, folded , as well courama loose , and in Dutch , is very low, without folds , smooth, virtually non-existent.
The barb of the half blood is typical, most evident by the greater presence of blood turn , starting in the region of the lip of the animal, the hide a little thicker in the presence of folds .
Already three quarters , as we see , is small and flat , starting in the middle portion of the neck. In 5 / 8 , is slightly reduced and folded over at least half blood.

Croup : The croup is a region bounded by the back forward, the tail behind , and below the thighs , based on the anatomical coxais , besides the sacrum .
The sacrum is formed by five sacral vertebrae welded , thus forming a single piece. The sacrum , at the most prominent, usually corresponds to croup sloping laterally and drained ( cutting) , which constitutes a serious defect.
But " not so much the sky , not so much land , "since the very flat croup with ischia highest (behind ) the hip bones (front) , what we call hip reversed, is also not desirable because it makes it more difficult parturition and expulsion of placental membranes . It is desirable that the rump has a slight inclination towards the ileum - ischium , varying according to each race ( in Holstein about 4 cm. .)
In front of the rump , two lateral protrusions , usually well defined , which are the hip or iliac ends , and the back we find the two ischial ends , called the tip of the buttock. Connecting these four points, the figure formed to approach the square shape, with a slight narrowing in the anteroposterior direction , ie, smaller width in the region of Ischia for greater width between the ilia .
Another detail in terms of quality of the rump , is that along with the loin , back and withers should be in the same plane , while in females should be examined carefully because the rump, in addition to storing the reproductive organs is called the "roof udder " determining their height, width and amplitude.
The slope of the croup is a typical racial difference between Gir and Holstein , and at first the croup is sloped and the second is almost flat.

In practice , we conclude that the larger the proportion of Dutch blood in animals, will be the more level croup , this is the natural tendency when we cross the two, or the reverse : the steeper the greater the presence of blood in turn animal.

Shown in Figure below, the different slopes of the rump between a half blood, 5 / 8 and 3 / 4 in the following order : the slope of the half blood is greater and more evident by the presence of more blood Gyr, the 5 / 8 has an intermediate rump less inclined to the half blood, and three quarters , already with 75% of Dutch blood , has a more level croup and flatter compared to the other two .