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