Oral ReasonsBrian Bolt

Clemson University Animal & Veterinary Sciences

Class Notes

• Need to work for you• Custom Shorthand• Help develop a mental image• Class Name• IDs• Descriptions• Comparisons

Notes

1

2

3

4

1/2 2/1 Grants 2

2/3 3/2 Grants 3

3/4 4/3 Grants 4

Name of Class & How You Placed ItBreeding Heifers #1, 1-2-3-4

Reasons

• Oral/Written defense of your placings• Short…under two minutes• Honest• Clear• Simple• “Do the Big Things”

Organizing Reasons

1. Name of Class & How You Placed It“My Placing of the Breeding Heifers is 1-2-3-4”

2. Ideally Statement“Ideally I would have liked to have seen my class winner

even ______________”

3. But Statement“But I still chose her over 2 in my initial comparison”

Organizing Reasons

4. Reasons, Grants and Reasons“As she is the _______ (est or er terms) _________....

(usually only 3 concepts)…I realize that 2 is (here’s your grant) but at the same time she’s ___________ (est or er terms) so she’s second.”

5. Next Pair6. Next Pair (Just finish it up with a strong statement)

“I grant 4 is more ________, but at the same time she is the (est terms here) in this class”

Some Alternatives

• Performance Reasons– “After analyzing the data and interpreting the

scenario I found a need for _____________, for these reasons I ranked the heifers 1-2-3-4”

– Take each pair to the scenario• Market Classes

– Take each pair to the rail…carcass logic

Reasons

• The Same format every time• Do not make it more complicated than

necessary• Presentation Skills, Etiquette• Exude Confidence• Eye Contact• Volume

Tips…

• Good Notes = Good Reasons• Keep It Simple• Beware of Canned Reasons & Sexy Terms• Less Theatrics MORE Analysis• Make it Fun

– Get ‘em over their fear of speaking in public and in front of strangers

The Reality

“It’s not about lining up four animals and giving reasons…it’s about making decisions and defending them”

I am better for having judged livestock