Module 2: Beef Cattle Judging Breeding Heifers
Judging Beef Cattle Will Evaluate: Breeding Heifers Market Steers Do Not Judge Bulls at Regional 4-H Contest Learn Terms To Use: When judging breeding cattle When judging market animals
Judging Beef Cattle Evaluating Breeding Cattle Ideal breeding heifers or bulls should: Be well balanced Have ample size and scale Show meat-type characteristics Have sound feet and legs Exhibit proper breed and sex character Display adequate reproductive organs
Ideal Beef Heifer Feminine head Angular through neck & shoulders Strong topline Long, level rump Neat tailhead Neat throat, dewlap & brisket Neat, smooth shoulder Bold spring of rib Deep ribbed Long bodied Deep rear flank Long stifle Deep, long muscled rear quarter
Ideal Beef Heifer Natural thickness down back & loin Long bodied Well balanced Long, smooth muscled rear quarter Correct set of hocks Smooth shoulder Deep, wide chest floor Legs set wide apart Correct set of feet and legs
Judging Heifers Begin at the Ground & Work UP Start at the Rear and Work Forward Rank Animals Based On: Traits of importance they possess Evaluate most important traits first Contestants should: Eliminate any easy placings Place the remainder based on the volume of the important traits
Ranking of Traits in the Order of Importance: Soundness & structural correctness Capacity or volume Style and balance Degree of muscling Femininity Judging Heifers
Judging Heifers Soundness and StructuralCorrectness Feet, legs and connected structure Biggest factors physically affecting longevity Start evaluation: At the ground Work up a joint at a time Carefully consider Feet Pasterns Hocks Rump Knees Shoulders
Feet should be: Judging Heifers Big Even-toed Squarely placed Toes pointing straight forward
Judging Heifers Splay-footed Poor depth of heel Feet turned out and not squarely under heifer. Puts stress on inside toes and inside of the knees. Feet with poor depth of heel. Hoof-skin junction sets too close to the ground.
Pasterns should be: Strong and flexible Allows cushion and give in foot & ankle Straight pasterns: Restrict flex Weak pasterns: Judging Heifers Too much set or angle Adds pressure on joints Correct set to the pasterns
Judging Heifers Pastern has too much set, limiting depth of heel and adding pressure to the ankle. Pastern is too straight, lacking flex and cushion.
Hocks should be: Constructed of a clean, flat bone With a slight degree of set Allowing for maximum: Power Judging Heifers Mobility Correct set to the hocks
Judging Heifers Post-legged Sickle-hocked Cow-hocked Hock is too straight, severely limits flexibility and puts stress on the joint. Too much set to the hock, forces rear feet too far under the heifer adding pressure to hip and rump. Hocks turn in, does not provide good balance of weight, and places stress on inside toes and ankles
Judging Heifers Correct rump structure should be: Level from hooks to pin bone Essential for length of stride Correct rump structure Rump structure too steep
Judging Heifers Shoulder set and shape: Control degree of motion in front end Allows for flexibility Determine correct shoulder angle: View cattle on the move Pay attention to length of stride Rear foot should step in track made by front foot Nice set and smoothness of shoulder
Judging Heifers Poor set or angle of shoulder, too straight, will restrict stride Shoulder too course, does not lay smooth
Judging Heifers Evaluating Capacity or Volume Amount of body volume a heifer possesses Necessary to perform at a high level And, still maintain body condition Associated with: Production traits Performance traits
Judging Heifers Evaluating Capacity or Volume Determined by: Body width (spring of rib) Body depth Body length Heifers should be: Wide bodied Good spring of rib Depth should be: Uniform from front to back More than 50% of heifer s height from top of back to ground Bold spring of rib
Judging Heifers Lacks adequate capacity Too short bodied Very narrow bodied, with no spring of rib Lacks depth, especially in rear flank
Judging Heifers Evaluating Degree of Muscling Degree of muscling in heifers should be evaluated: First through center of the quarter Base width of rear feet as heifer walks Shape over heifer s top Critical to compare base width at the ground to top width On a lean animal that is heavy muscled: Base width and top width will be equal
Judging Heifers Evaluating Degree of Muscling Fat can cause mistakes in evaluating muscle shape Fat can: Mask shape Change shape Hide shape Invent shape
Judging Heifers Light muscled Average muscled Heavy muscled Very narrow Average width Good width
Judging Heifers Evaluating Femininity Femininity refers to the prettiness of the heifer Traits to consider: Refinement of head Length of neck Angularity of neck &shoulder Blending of shoulder to forerib Long, clean neck Refined head, narrow muzzle Clean, angular shoulder Good blending of shoulder to forerib
Judging Heifers Too much shoulder Coarse head Excess hide in dewlap Too thick thru neck & shoulder
Test Your Skills Place this class of heifers 1 2 3 4
Official Placing 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 1 4 2 3 Official Placing: 1 4 2 3 Cuts: 5 2-5
Module 3:Beef Cattle Judging Market Steers
Judging Market Steers Ideal Market Steer: Weighs 1,100 to 1,250 lbs. Adequate size & scale: To carry this weight Minimum finish Enough finish to: Produce high quality carcass Choice grade Increase carcass cutability
Judging Market Steers Ideal Market Steer: Heavy muscling is desired in: High-priced cuts Rib Loin Round Relatively trim middle Clean fronted
Ideal Market Steer Long level rump Deep muscular, bulging quarter Long muscular stifle Straight topline Thick meaty loin Uniform condition over ribs Long bodied Bold spring of rib Smooth shoulder
Judging Market Steers Steps to Judging Market Steers Always start at the ground & work up Then from rear & work forward Rank animals based on traits of importance Evaluate most important traits first Eliminate any easy placings first Place remaining class based on the volume of important traits
Judging Market Steers Ranking of Traits for Market Steers: Degree of muscling Degree of Finish (fat cover) Growth capacity Soundness and structural correctness Balance Frame size Steers should be: Extra thick, Medium framed & Adequately fininished
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Degree of Muscling Thickness through center of rear quarter Base Width (Standing & Walking) Muscle expression over the top Butterfly shape down the topline Crease down the backbone
Judging Market Steers Thick Muscle Thin Muscle Average Muscle Super Thick Narrow Base Average Base Wide Base Super Wide
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Degree of Finish Goal of Choice grade Requires enough external fat to achieve adequate intramuscular fat or marbling Excessive fat: Yield grade of 4 or 5 Discounted prices Ideal level of exterior fat is 0.4 to 0.6 inches
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Degree of Finish Areas to evaluate degree of finish: Top line Underline Body depth Brisket Tailhead Cod or udder area Shoulder Over the ribs
Judging Market Steers Too Fat
Judging Market Steers Not Enough Fat
Judging Market Steers Correct Finish Not Enough Finish Full brisket indicates correct amount of finish Empty brisket indicates lack of finish
Judging Market Steers Correct Finish Excess Finish Cod fill indicates correct amount of finish Fat around tailhead indicates too much finish
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Growth Capacity Steers are sold by the pound Important to maximize feeding capacity Look for good: Body Width Body Depth Body length
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Soundness & Structural Correctness Lack of soundness: Limits trips to feed & water Decreases growth Sound & structurally correct steers will have: Flexible, clean & flat joints Long powerfulstrides Strong pasterns Good set to hocks & knees Big feet that sit flatly on the ground
Judging Market Steers Correct Structure Poor Structure Long and straight top line, with a long and level rump Weak topped, with a short and steep rump
Judging Market Steers Evaluating Balance Balance is having correct portions of: Width Depth Length Equal proportions that blend together
Judging Market Steers Poorly Balanced
Test Your Skills Place this Class of Market Steers 1 2 3 4
Official Placing Official Placing: 2 4 3 1 Cuts: 3 5-6 1 st 2 nd 2 4 3 rd 4 th 3 1