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Ag Fact! 4/23
Ag Fact! 4/23
Livestock Judging 1.0Beef Cattle
Sutherlin ASTAdapted from University of Kentucky Judging PowerPoints and
Georgia Ag Ed
Basics of Livestock Judging
• Evaluate market animals• Evaluate breeding animals• Do so based on industry wants
Steps to Judging Beef
1. Evaluate cattle from the ground up and from the rump (rear) forward
2. Evaluate the most important traits first3. Eliminate any easy placings in the class4. Place the class based on the volume of the
important traits
Judging Market Steers
Ranking Traits1. Degree of muscling2. Degree of finish (fat cover)3. Growth capacity4. Structure5. Balance6. Frame size
Evaluate Muscling
Muscling•Muscle is the product of meat animals•More muscle means a more valuable animal
– Yield Grade• Lower Yield Grade = more product
Evaluate Muscling
Degree of muscling in steers is best determined by evaluating:•Thickness through the center of quarter•Width between rear feet when steer stands and(or) walks•Shape over the top (butterfly shape desired)
Evaluate MusclingThin Muscle
Very narrow width
Average Muscle
Averagewidth
Thick Muscle
Goodwidth
Super Thick
Very goodwidth
Evaluate Finish
Finish• Finish is the amount of fat on the animal• More finish means better tasting product
– Marbling is intramuscular fat– Quality Grade
• “Prime rib”
• Animals finish front to back
Evaluate Finish
Areas to consider when evaluating degree of finish include:
• Top line• Underline• Body depth• Brisket• Tailhead• Udder or cod• Shoulder• Over the ribs
Evaluate Finish
Miss Fatty
950 lbs0.8 inches backfatChoice 504.0 yield grade
Smooth over top
Loose underlineFull brisket
Fat tailhead
Udder fat
Evaluate Finish
Mister Muscle
$ 1,250 lbs$ 0.2 inches backfat$ 1.6 yield grade$ Standard quality grade
Clean over ribs
Emptybrisket
Indentationbehind
shoulder
Tight, clean underline
Shallow rear flankEmpty cod
Trim tailhead
Evaluate Finish
Nice brisket
Full brisket (near ideal)
Too trim
Empty brisket (lacks finish)
Evaluate Growth Capacity
Market steers with high growth capacity will be:• Wide through the chest• Wide between feet when walking or standing• Uniform in their body depth• Open through the ribs• Long bodied
Evaluating Growth CapacityGood growth capacity
Widechested
Wide walking
Uniform body depth
Open rib shape
Long bodied
Evaluate Soundness
Sound and structurally correct animals will have:• Long, straight top line• Long, level rumps• Flexible, clean, flat joints• Long powerful stride• Good set to hocks and knees
Evaluate Soundness
Sound and structurally
correct
Big, square feet
Strong pastern Strong pastern
Good setto hock Good set
to knee
Evaluate Soundness
Poor structure
Weak topShort, steep rump
Good structure Long, straight top line
Long, level rump
Evaluate Balance
Balance refers to market steers having the correct portions of width, depth, and length•Width, depth, and length should be in equal proportions that blend together
Evaluate BalanceNO BALANCE ALERT !
Heavy fronted
Too short
Too light in hindquarters
Too shallow in rear flank
Evaluate Balance
Goodfrontedsteer
Smooth shoulder
Cleannecked
Evaluate BalanceWell Balanced Steer
All the parts (width, depth, and length) fit together nicely
Evaluate Frame Size
The optimum steer for today’s market should be medium framed and finish at about 1,200 lbs•Large framed steers will get too big before developing adequate finish•Small framed steers will be early maturing and get too fat before they reach optimum weight
Evaluate Frame Size
1,400 lb large framed steer with no finish
I=m too big
Evaluate Frame Size
900 lb small framed steer with too much fat
I=m too small
Evaluate Frame Size
1,250 lb medium framed steer with proper finish
0.4 Backfat $ 13.5 in2 Ribeye $ Low choice quality grade $ 2.8 Yield grade
I=m just right
Example Market Steer
Class I
Placings By Traits
1 2
3 4
Placings By Traits
Muscle: 2-4-3-1
Finish: 2-1-4-3
Capacity: 2-4-3-1
Structure: 4-3-2-1
Balance: 4-2-3-1
Frame: 2-4-1-3
Official Placing: 2 - 4 - 3 - 1 Cuts: 3 - 5 - 6
1 2
3 4
Example Market Steer
Class II
1 2
3 4
Placings By Traits
Muscle: 2-4-1-3
Finish: 1-4-2-3
Capacity: 4-1-2-3
Structure: 4-1-2-3
Balance: 2-4-1-3
Official Placing: 4 - 1 - 2 - 3 Cuts: 4 - 3 - 6
1 2
3 4
Judging Beef Heifers
1. Soundness and structural correctness2. Capacity or volume3. Style and balance4. Degree of muscling5. Femininity
Evaluate Soundness
Soundness and Structural Correctness1.More important in breeding animals than market animals
– Breeding animals produce for longer and need to be able to walk/move years more than market animals
Evaluate Soundness
When evaluating structure and soundness, attention should be given to the following areas:
– Feet– Pasterns– Hocks– Knees– Rump– Shoulder
Evaluate Soundness- Feet -
Feet turned out (not square)
Poor depthof heel
Hoof-skin junction too close to ground
Evaluate Soundness- Feet -
ExcellentfootGood foot size
that is square
Foot sits flatly on surface
Good depthof heel
Evaluate Soundness- Pastern -
Pastern too weak Pastern too straight
Evaluate Soundness- Pastern -
Excellentpasterns
Flex with strength
Nice set to pasterns
Evaluate Soundness- Hocks -
Too straight(post-legged) Sickle hocked Cow hocked
Evaluate Soundness- Hocks -
Excellenthocks
Correct set to hocks (square, flat boned,
powerful)
Evaluate Soundness- Rump -
Short and steep rumped from hooks to pins
Evaluate Soundness- Rump -
ExcellentrumpLong rumped and level from hooks to
pins
Evaluate Soundness- Shoulder -
Too straightin shoulder
Too coarse through shoulder
Evaluate Soundness- Shoulder -
Excellentshoulder
Nice set and smoothness to
shoulder
Evaluate Capacity
Capacity (volume) is determined by three factors:1.Body width (rib shape)
– Heifers should be wide bodied with good spring of rib
2.Depth of body– When viewed from the side, body depth should be at
least 1/2 the distance from the top of the back to the ground
3.Length of body– Heifers should be long bodied
Evaluate Capacity
Snake Alert
Narrow bodied(no spring of rib)
Short bodied
Shallow rear flank
Evaluate Capacity
Excellent, wide open rib shape
Excellent, uniform body depth
Evaluate Style and Balance
Style and balance is related to how well all the pieces of the heifer fit together. Points to consider include:1.Straightness of top line2.Balance between body width, depth, and length3.Smoothness and angularity of front4.Blending of the shoulder, ribs, and hip
Evaluate Style and Balance
Unbalanced Alert
Coarse shoulder
Thick neck and wasty dewlap
Coarse, opened shoulder
Short necked Pinched in forerib
Evaluate Style and Balance
Good front-end
Smooth, angular front
Excellent style and balance
Straight top line
Long, clean neck
Width, depth, and length balanced
Evaluate Muscling
To determine degree of muscling, evaluate the following:1.Thickness through the center of the quarter when viewed from the rear2.Width between rear feet when the heifer walks or stands3.Shape over the top
Evaluate MusclingLight Muscled
Very narrow
Average Muscled
Average width
Heavy Muscled
Good width
Evaluate Muscling
Great top shape (heavy muscled)
Evaluate Femininity
When evaluating femininity in heifers, attention should be given to:1.Refinement of head2.Length of the neck3.Angularity of the neck and shoulder4.Blending of the shoulder to the forerib
Evaluate Femininity
Not feminine
Is it a heifer ora steer?
Too thick through neck and shoulder
Coarse head
Evaluate Femininity
Not feminine
Too much shoulder
Excess hide in dewlap
Evaluate Femininity
Super feminine
Refined head (narrow muzzle)
Long, clean neck
Clean, angular shoulder
Good blendingof shoulderto forerib
ExampleBeef Heifer
Class I
1 2
3 4
1 2
3 4
Official Placing: 1 - 4 - 2 - 3 Cuts: 5 - 2 - 5
ExampleBeef Heifer
Class II
1 2
3 4
1 2
3 4
Official Placing: 1 - 3 - 4 - 2 Cuts: 3 - 5 - 4
Market Steers Class III
Market Steers III - #1
Market Steers III - #2
Market Steers III - #3
Market Steers III - #4
Market Steers Class III
Market Steers Class IIIFeedlot Steers Class #2
Evaluated by: Celina JohnsonPlacing: 2-3-4-1
Cuts: 3-4-5
I placed this class of feedlot steers 2-3-4-1. The red steer wins as he best combines yield and quality grade. He shows the most natural shape down his top, over the loin and is thicker and more expressive through his quarter. Additionally, he is more structurally sound, being more neatly laid through the shoulder than 3. He should hang the carcass receiving a lower numerical yield than 3. 3 is longer sided. However he is fatter and straighter through his shoulder than 2, so he is second.
Nevertheless it is 3 over 4 in the middle pair. The black steer is the thicker topped, wider based steer of the pair that should produce the more muscular carcass. I realize the Hereford appearing steer is sounder made, however he is lighter muscled, being flatter through the quarter and narrower based when viewed from the rear, so he is third.
Yet in the bottom pair, its 4 over 1. 4 is more market ready as he shows more evidence of finish over his rib, around his tailhead and is fuller in the flank. Additionally he is higher volumed, have more depth and dimension to his rib. Yes, the yellow steer is leaner, but he is the furthest from his endpoint and should hang the least desirable carcass of the four, so he is last.
Angus Heifers Class A
Angus Class A#1
Angus Class A#2
Angus Class A#3
Angus Class A#4
Angus Heifers Class A