Overview of Livestock Judging

Overview of Livestock Judging

Livestock Judging Workshop: Oneida County, New York

April 6, 2013By Cari B. Rincker, Esq.

What is Livestock Judging?• Evaluation of an animal’s characteristics

making a comparison to other animals according to the “ideal standard”– What is “ideal” can be somewhat subjective and

can change overtime according to trends in the industry

– Using both objective and subjective tools• After evaluating each animal, a ranking is

assigned to that class

Presentation by Jeff Thayne at Iowa State University

My Livestock Judging Experience• Judged in 4-H & FFA

– Illinois State 4-H Team (NAILE Champions)

– Invited to Judge in Edinburgh, Scotland

• Judged at Lake Land College– 1st Place Oral Reasons at National

Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado

– 1st Place Overall at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

• Judged at Texas A & M University– All-American Livestock Judging Team

My Livestock Coaching Experience

Coached the Shelby County 4-H Livestock Judging Team in Illinois

What I Do Now with Livestock Judging

• Owner of Rincker Cattle Co.– SimAngus beef cattle

operation in Shelbyville, Illinois

• Judge beef cattle shows at the local, state, national, and international level– Occasionally judge pigs,

sheep & goats

How Livestock Judging Helps Me As an Agriculture Attorney

• Analytical Skills• Public Speaking Skills• Organizational Skills• Short-term

memorization• Persuasive arguments

Benefits of Livestock Judging

“Judging instills confidence in those people who may be timid and humbles those who tend to be conceited.”

– Harlan Ritchie (Michigan State University)


What Is A Livestock Judging Contest?

• Ranking of livestock animals– 4 animals to a class– Identified with Numbers– Compared to the Official

Placing (by a Judge or Committee)


Beef Cattle, Meat Sheep, & Pigs

– Some contests have wool sheep, meat goats, and horses

– Separate contests for dairy, poultry & rabbits (typically)


• Judging 6-12 classes of livestock– Some breeding classes

might also have EPD’s• Questions and/or

“Oral Reasons”

What We’ll Discuss Today

• Beef Cattle– Steers– Heifers – Bulls

• Pigs– Gilts– Barrows

• Sheep– Market Lambs– Ewes

What We’ll Discuss Today

• Expected Progeny Differences (“EPD’s”) for breeding animals

• How to Calculate “Cuts”• Taking notes on your

“Steno Pad” for Questions or Oral Reasons

• Overview of Oral Reasons

Judging Beef Cattle

Learn Your Anatomy

Learn Your Anatomy

Learn Your Wholesale Cuts of Beef

Learn Your Retail Cuts of Beef

Judging (Bred) Heifers• Priorities

– Functionality / Ease of Fleshing

– Structural Correctness– Balance and Symentry– Growth Performance – Femininity/ Eye Appeal– Muscle– Width of Base


Judging (Bred) HeifersFunctionality/ Ease of Fleshing (“Easy Keeping” or “Brood Cow Utility”)

– Rib shape (depth and outward curvature to rib)

– Depth of heart and bold in forerib– Volume – Flesh/ condition– Sound structured– Multiple characteristics go into

these terms


Judging (Bred) Heifers

Growth Performance– Cattle need to moderate

framed • If too big/tall, then tend to be

harder keeping and produce market animals with carcass weight problems

– Look at length of maturity pattern

• Length of face, cannon, body, hooks to pins

– Look at overall volume and weight of the animal

Photo from Lautner Farms

Judging CattleStructural Correctness

– Front foot alignment– Shoulder angle– Strength to topline– Levelness and length of hip– Set to hock– Set to pastern – Heaviness of structure


Photo from Hanewich Cattle Co.

Judging Bulls

• “Butts, Nuts & Guts”– Muscularity– Athletism – Structural Soundness– Rib/Volume– Testicle Size/ Scrotal

Circumference Photo from Oklahoma State

Judging Market Steers• Priorities:

– Muscle– Market Readiness/

Correctness of Finish– Rib and Feeding Ability– Structural Soundness– Balance and Eye Appeal



Judging Market Steers• Muscle Indicators

– Quarter– Rib– Loin– Stifle– Forearm


Photo from Gregory Farms

Judging Market Steers


• Finish Indicators– Brisket– Over Ribs– Pins/ Around

Tailhead– Flank– Cod Fat


Judging Market Steers• Evaluating Rib/ Feeding Ability

– Steers should possess dimension to their skeleton in terms of chest width and center body shape to ensure efficiency in a feedlot setting and the ability to deposit finish

• Width of chest• Depth of body• Rib Shape• Uniformity of body depth


Judging Market Steers• Evaluating Balance and

Eye Appeal– The steer should be

proportional – Look at how the steer

balance from the profile• Length of neck• Levelness of topline and hip• Smooth pattern• General attractiveness


Photo from Rodgers Cattle

Let’s Judge a Class of Market Steers

Photo by Lautner Farms

Feedlot Market Steers Profile

12

43

Presentation by Drew Obermeyer from K-State

Feedlot Market Steers Rear View1 2 43


Write Your Placing Down

How Did You Place It?

My Placing: 3-2-4-1Cuts: 2-5-3

Note: I differed opinion from K-State. K-State Placed it 2-3-4-1 with cuts of 3-4-5.

This also illustrates that there is no one right answer – judges/officials will have different preferences.

We’ll discuss how to calculate your score later. Just write it down right now.

We’ll Talk More About Reasons Later• Overview

– Divide class into 3 pairs– Describe why you placed

the class the way you did– Read & learn the

terminology in the Livestock judging Team Manual

– Example sets of reasons for your reference

Livestock Judging Teammates from Texas A & M University

Market Steer: Reasons Example # 1• 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.

By Drew Obermeyer from K-State

Market Steer Reasons Example # 2• I place the market steers 2341. In the top pair I place 2 over 3. 2 is

the heavies muscled, most expressively shaped steer that should rail the most shapely carcass. I grant that 3 is longer sided. But I faulted him and placed him 2nd, he is heavier conditioned and straight in his shoulder.

• In my middle pair I placed 3 over 4. 3 is a wider based, thicker topped steer that should rail a heavier muscled carcass. I grant that 4 is sounder structured but he is also light muscled and narrow based.

• In my bottom pair I placed 4 over 1. 4 is the bigger bodied steer thatappears to have been easier feeding. Also I would expect him to besafer grading. I realize 1 is leaner made, but he is the lightestmuscled and barest finished steer in class.


Market Steer Reasons Example # 3• My preferred alignment of the Market steers is 2341. Starting the class with

a pair of heavier muscled, more complete steers, and of the pair I preferred the added advantages in expression to align him over 3. 2 is a long patterned, trimmer conditioned steer that measures longer and wider out of his hip. I appreciate the softer, more market ready look of 3 yet he also gets plainer in his design and a little courser fronted.

• However despite these criticisms, 3 is a heavier muscled more correctly finished steer that has more volume and expression of muscle out of his hip and due to his external indicators suggest that he should be safer to role the choice stamp. I realize that 4 is bolder ribbed, however the Hereford is also the heaviest finished, shortest coupled steer in the class.

• In my concluding pair of lighter muscled steers I still preferred the body and depth of 4. He is deeper bodied, bolder sprung steer that has a softer look and is closer to a marketable endpoint, I understand that they yellow steer is longer bodied cleaner designed, yet he is the flattest, narrowest made, lightest muscled steer in the class.


Judging Pigs

Learn Your Anatomy

Learn Your Wholesale Cuts of Pork

Learn Your Retail Cuts of Pork

Judging Breeding Swine (Gilts)Priorities

– Scale/ Growth– Lean / Condition – Structural Correctness/ Functionality

• Helps to ensure sow longevity

– Internal Dimension/ Rib– Skeletal Width and Dimension– Balance and Eye Appeal– Muscle Content– Maternal characteristics


Photo from Dick Kuecker & Sons

Judging Gilts• Condition

– Leanness is important with breeding swine

– Don’t want females to be too heavy conditioned but an adequate degree of condition is needed for sound reproductive intervals


Photo from National Swine Registry

Judging Gilts• Maternal Characteristics

– Vulva• Estrus Detection• Upturned/ Tipped• Infantile

– Underline• Pin Nipples/ Blunt Teats• Size and spacing issues• Count


Hint: These are GREAT for questionsand oral reasons. Take lots of notes!

Judging Swine• Skeletal Width and

Dimension– Width of Chest– Square Rib Design– Depth of Flank– Natural Base Width at

the Ground– Ability to Convert Feed

to Gain


Photo from gctelegram.com

Judging Swine• Balance and Eye Appeal

– Proportional Skeleton– Attractive and well balanced

look from the profile• Levelness of topline and hip• Strength behind the blades and

to Loin• Quality to hair and skin coat

– Structural Correctness • Looseness of skeleton and

mobilityPresentation by Jeff Thayne at Iowa State University

Photo from Sharrett Family Farms

Judging Market Hogs

Pay attention to whether they are gilts or barrows

– Especially for Questions and Reasons (ID’s, proper pronouns like “he” “she”)

– Gilts are typically leaner than barrows

Judging Market Hogs

• Priorities– Muscle Content– Lean Growth – Skeletal Width and

Dimension– Structural

Correctness– Balance and Eye

AppealPresentation by Jeff Thayne at Iowa State University

Photo of Kelly Goneke

Judging Market Hogs• Indicators of Muscles

– Ham– Loin– Dimple at Ham-Loin

Junction– Grove down top– Forearm– Blades– Stifle


Photo from the National Swine Registry

Judging Market Hogs• Indicators of Leaness

– Jowl– Over blades– Elbow pocket– Loin Edge– Seam of ham– Lower one-third of body


Photo from Swinegenetics.com

Judging Sheep

Photo from WestsideConnect.com

Judging Ewes & Rams (Breeding Sheep)

• Priorities– Growth and

Performance• Frame• Length

– Functionality/ Rib – Balance and Eye Appeal– Structural correctness– Muscle


Photo from Strat Hearl Suffolks

Judging Breeding Sheep• Balance, Eye Appeal and

Structural Soundness– Length and smoothness of

front end– Cleanliness thru shoulder

and chest– Levelness of topline and

hip– Pasterns– Length of stride


Photo from DDJ Suffolks

Judging Market Lambs• Priorities

– Muscle– Correctness of finish– Growth and Weight– Skeletal Correctness– Balance and Eye Appeal

*Pay attention to sex


From www.agri-media.ca

Judging Market Lambs

• Muscle Indicators– Rack– Loin– Hip– Leg– Forearm


Photo from Rennvue Farms


• Finish Indicators– Breast/ Chest Plate– Ribs– Flank– Twist


Photo from Oklahoma Report


• Growth Indicators– Length of head, neck,

cannon bone and hindsaddle

– Height at the top of the shoulders

– Length of body– Weight


Photo from South Dakota State Fair


Skeletal Correctness– Angle to shoulder and knee– Appropriate set to pastern– Levelness of top and dock set– Square set from hock to

ground from behind– Heaviness of structure


Photo from KearnyHub.com


• Balance and Eye Appeal– Proportionalism– Trim chested/ clean fronted– Length and smoothless of

front end– Level topline and square hip– Attractive rib design


Photo from Thomas Show Lambs

Market Lambs Profile

1 2

34


Market Lambs Rear View

1 2 43


Market Lambs Top View 1 2 43


Market Lambs Front View

1 2 43


Write Down Your Placing

Official

My Placing: 4-1-2-3Cuts: 3-5-2

Note: I differed opinion from K-State on the bottom pair.K-State placed the class 4-1-3-2 with the same cuts

This also illustrates that there is no one right answer – judges/officials will have different preferences.

We’ll discuss how to calculate your score later. Just write it down right now.

Market Lambs: Reasons Example # 1• I placed the market lambs 4-1-3-2. In the top pair of more muscular wethers, I

personally like the blue sheep to win. For me, he ties his muscularility into a bigger, more correctly finished package. Not only is 4 a taller fronted lamb, that is longer measuring from his last rib back. But this compliments the fact that he is a cleaner profiling lamb that is leaner to touch. I would expect him to have an advantage in cutability. True, 1 is a heavier weight lamb that wraps with a bigger leg. However, I placed him second because he is a heavy middled lamb that is deep in his sternum.

• However, 1 is a more powerfully muscled, growthier lamb, and needs to beat 3 in the middle pair. No doubt, 1 is a wider based sheep that has more tone and shape of muscle from his rack back into his leg. To add to this, I find him to be a heavier weight lamb and he should go to the cooler with more product from his 13th rib back. Yes, 3 is more correct in his body depth. However, for me he goes third, because 3 is clearly the lightest muscled, thickest hided lamb in the class, that is a bit too stale.

• Now, in the bottom pair of lambs that differ in composition I elected to use the leaner lamb and placed 3 over 2. I predict he will have an advantage in yield grade because he handles leaner down his spine and is especially cleaner over his forerib. On the other hand 2 is a more muscular sheep. He has a bolder shape of muscle over his rack, a fuller loin edge and more volume to his leg. Nonetheless, I placed him fourth. Not only is he short bodied, but he is clearly the softest handling, most overdone lamb in the class.


Market Lambs: Reasons Example # 2• I placed the Market Lambs 4132. In my top pair I placed 4 over 1. 4 is the

heaviest muscled, largest framed and most correct in his degree of finish. I grant that 1 has a larger leg, but I faulted him and placed him second because he is heavier conditioned.

• In my middle pair I place 1 over 3. 1 is wider based and moreexpressive in his muscle shape. I grant that 3 is cleaner and trimmer in his middle, but I faulted him and place him 3rd. He is lightmuscled and narrow constructed.

• In my bottom pair I placed 3 over 2. 3 is leaner made sheep that Iwould expect to rail a higher cutability carcass. I grant 2 for beingheavier muscled, but I place him fourth, He is the shortest bodied and fattest made sheep in the class.


Market Lambs: Reasons Example # 3• My preferred alignment of the market lambs is 4132, starting the class with

a more massive muscular lamb who remains stronger down his top. 4 is a long bodied lamb who spreads a squarer shape over his rack, spans wider over his loin and has a longer, wider, deeper tying leg, which leads me to believe that he should rail more pounds of trimmed hindsaddle. I understand that 1 has more expression of muscle throughout his leg, yet he also is narrower made and sharper over his shoulder.

• However in my middle pair it is 1s advantage in both Muscularity and expression that aligns him over 3. 1 has more expression over muscle over his crisper, firmer rack and carries this back through his more defined loin and into his bolder more dimensional leg. This suggests that he should simply rail a carcass that is totally freer of fat. Yes, 3 is more opened up in his chest floor, but he also is plainer and nondescript in his design, and appears to be heavier conditioned.

• In my concluding pair of heavier conditioned lambs, I preferred the added length and volume of 3. 3 is a taller, longer patterned lamb, who is more attractive on the profile and is more extended from his last rib back. I understand that 2 is deeper bodied, but he also is the heaviest conditioned, lightest muscled lamb of the class.


Learn Your Anatomy

Learn Your Wholesale Cuts of Lamb

Learn Your Retail Cuts of Lamb

How to Calculate Cuts• Best Score is 50• Calculate by adding the “Drop”• Cuts are 3 numbers-- for Top Pair, Middle Pair and

Bottom Pair• Total cannot exceed 15 points• Example

– Placing 4321– Official 4231– Cuts 7-3-4– Score 47 (Switched middle pair)

How to Calculate Cuts

• Illustration: – My Placing: 2134– Official Placing: 2143– Cuts: 5-3-2– Score: 48

Ask:Is 2 over 1?Is 2 over 4?Is 2 over 3?Is 1 over 4?Is 1 over 3?Is 4 over 3? No, so minus 2



Ask:Is 2 over 1? No, so minus 5Is 2 over 4?Is 2 over 3?Is 1 over 4?Is 1 over 3?Is 4 over 3? No, so minus 2



The simple bust.

Ask:Is 2 over 1? Is 2 over 4?Is 2 over 3?Is 1 over 4? No, so minus 3Is 1 over 3? No, so minus 5 (3+2)Is 4 over 3? No, so minus 2



The simple bust.

Ask:Is 2 over 1? Is 2 over 4? No, so minus 8Is 2 over 3?Is 1 over 4? No, so minus 3Is 1 over 3? Is 4 over 3?



The major bust.

Ask:Is 2 over 1? No, so minus 5Is 2 over 4? No, so minus 8 (5 +3)Is 2 over 3? No, so minus 10 (5+3+2)Is 1 over 4? Is 1 over 3? No, so minus 5 (3+2)Is 4 over 3? No, so minus 2

Now, You Try It

• Example:– My Placing: 2431– Official Placing: 2413– Cuts: 5-4-3– Score:

Now, You Try It


Now, You Try It


Now, You Try It


Now, You Try It


Taking Notes on Your Steno Pad

• Get several steno pads for livestock judging

• Keep notes in them• I still have my steno

pads from livestock judging at Lake Land & Texas A & M University

Getting Ready for the Contest• Get your steno pad set-up

the night before• Fill in the information about

the classes the day of the contest

• Columns for your placing, the official placing, official cuts, and your score

• This will be your “Master Score Sheet”

• Identify Questions and/or Reasons Classes

• Identify Classes where there will be EPD’s available

Setting Up Notes for Questions• There’s no one right way to do

this– This is how I set-up my notes for

question classes• Need to take notes on

“identification” (e.g., tick-backed Hereford heifer), positives, and negatives– Will also get questions on

comparison• Make sure to write down your

placing • The goal is to take accurate

enough notes to jog your memory later

Taking Notes for Questions Classes

• Write down whatever comes to mind

• Can be a useful exercise to help rank the animals

Another Way to Take Notes for Questions

Again, there’s no one “right way”

– Find what works for you

Trick for Questions

• Write your placing down on answer sheet– Will help job your

memory– Place on scantron

away from the circles

Oral Reasons

• Overview: Explaining to a judge why you chose to place the animals the way you did

• Judged on the correctness of the reasons (even if different than the official) and overall presentation

• 50 points maximum• Should be 60-90 seconds

Taking Notes for Reasons

• Divide your notebook into 3 pair– Top pair– Middle pair– Bottom pair

• Then you’ll divide it in half again– Positives & negatives

Strategy for Reasons Notes

• Top Pair– Why 1st Place beats all the

rest– Why 1st is better than 2nd

place– How the 1st place animal

could improve– How 2nd place might be

better than 1st place– Why the 2nd place animal is

second– Don’t forget to mention ID’s

Reason Notes• Middle Pair

– Is it a close decision?– Why second place beats

third place– How second place can

be improved– How third place may be

better than second place

– Why 3rd place animal is in third place

Reason Notes• Bottom Pair

– Is it a close decision?– Why third place beats

fourth place– How third place can be

improved– How fourth place may

be better than third place

– Why 4th place animal is in fourth place

• Transitions

Cari’s Reasons Tricks

• I use my notes to help visualize the animals– I “see” the animals as I give my reasons– If I forget what I memorized, I just talk about the

animals• I talked outloud to myself to practice (don’t

worry about what others think of you – you’ll beat them!)


• I memorized one pair at a time – Got the first pair down before moving on to the

second pair• Smile.. But not too much. Be pleasant and

upbeat but not cheesy• Articulation and strong voice

– Emphasize important words– Think about pauses

• Dress professionally


• As a woman, I was taught to turn slightly to make me look more feminine

• Pay attention to posture• Remember that the judges want to hear the

“big points”– Don’t get too carried away in the details

• Say “Good Afternoon” and “Thank You” (confidently)


• If you don’t feel confident in your placing, then stay away from words like “easily,” “unquestionably” and “without a doubt” – use soft language– Remember to talk the differences– Doing well in reasons is about describing the

animals accurately and giving a good presentation– If you “see” the animals correctly, it’s okay to

place them differently

Sample ReasonsPlacing: 4-3-2-1Cuts: 3-5-3

• I placed this class of feedlot steers 4-3-2-1.

• In the top pair of steers comparable in finish, I placed 4 over 3 due to his advantage in muscling. Ideally, I would like to see 4 more structurally correct through his shoulder, however, the bald-faced steer shows more shape and natural thickness down his top and through his hip, and stands wider based when viewed from the rear. He should hang a carcass with the highest percent of saleable product in the class. No doubt, 3 is more structurally correct, particularly through the shoulder and deeper bodied. However, he is narrower topped and flatter through the quarter than the class winner, so he is second.

• It is easily 3 over 2 in the middle pair. He is the nicer balanced steer that better combines yield and quality grade. He is freer of waste through the lower 1/3 of his body and shows more muscle expression down his top and through his quarter.

• In the bottom pair, its 2 over 1 due to his advantage in market readiness. He is carrying more finish over his fore and rear rib and should be safer into the choice grade. I realize that 1 is the leaner. However, he is the least market ready as he runs out of finish over his rear rib. He is also the lightest muscled, narrowest made steer in the class that should hang the least amount of red meat, so he is last.

From Louisiana State University, Department of Animal Science

More Info on Oral Reasons & EPD’s

Please get out the Livestock Judging Manual from Lake Land College

*We’ll go through several sections

Additional Resources

• Livestock Judging.com– http://www.livestockjudging.com/

free_livestock_judging_practice_classes.aspx

• Judging 101– http://www.judging101.com/

• Animal Science 101– www.animalscience101.com

http://www.livestockjudging.com/free_livestock_judging_practice_classes.aspx

http://www.livestockjudging.com/free_livestock_judging_practice_classes.aspx

http://www.judging101.com/

http://www.animalscience101.com/

Please Stay in Touch• Send Me Snail Mail: 535 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor, New

York, NY 10017• Call Me: (212) 427-2049 (office)• Email Me: [email protected]• Visit My Website: www.rinckerlaw.com • Read My Food & Ag Law Blog: www.rinckerlaw.com/blog• Tweet Me: @CariRincker @RinckerLaw• Facebook Me: www.facebook.com/rinckerlaw • Link to Me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/caririncker • Skype Me: Cari.Rincker

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.rinckerlaw.com/

http://www.rinckerlaw.com/blog

http://www.facebook.com/rinckerlaw

http://www.linkedin.com/in/caririncker

Date post:	16-Nov-2014
Category:	Education
Upload:	cari-rincker
View:	1,172 times
Download:	5 times

Overview of Livestock Judging

Education