Livestock Judging 1.0�Beef Cattle

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Sutherlin AST

Adapted 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 first

3. Eliminate any easy placings in the class

4. Place the class based on the volume of the important traits

Judging Market Steers

Ranking Traits

1. Degree of muscling
2. Degree of finish (fat cover)
3. Growth capacity
4. Structure
5. Balance
6. 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)

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Evaluate Muscling

Thin Muscle

Very narrow width

Average Muscle

Average

width

Thick Muscle

Good

width

Super Thick

Very good

width

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

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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 lbs

0.8 inches backfat

Choice 50

4.0 yield grade

Smooth over top

Loose underline

Full 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

Empty

brisket

Indentation

behind

shoulder

Tight, clean underline

Shallow rear flank

Empty 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

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Evaluating Growth Capacity

Good growth capacity

Wide

chested

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 set

to hock

Good set

to knee

Evaluate Soundness

Poor structure

Weak top

Short, 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 Balance

NO BALANCE ALERT !

Heavy fronted

Too short

Too light in hindquarters

Too shallow in rear flank

Evaluate Balance

Good

fronted

steer

Smooth shoulder

Clean

necked

Evaluate Balance

Well 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

1

2

3

4

Example Market Steer Class II

1

2

3

4

Placings By Traits

1

2

3

4

Judging Beef Heifers

1. Soundness and structural correctness
2. Capacity or volume
3. Style and balance
4. Degree of muscling
5. Femininity

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Evaluate Soundness

Soundness and Structural Correctness

1. 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 depth

of heel

Hoof-skin junction too close to ground

Evaluate Soundness�- Feet -

Excellent

foot

Good foot size that is square

Foot sits flatly on surface

Good depth

of heel

Evaluate Soundness�- Pastern -

Pastern too weak

Pastern too straight

Evaluate Soundness�- Pastern -

Excellent

pasterns

Flex with strength

Nice set to pasterns

Evaluate Soundness�- Hocks -

Too straight

(post-legged)

Sickle hocked

Cow hocked

Evaluate Soundness�- Hocks -

Excellent

hocks

Correct set to hocks

(square, flat boned,

powerful)

Evaluate Soundness�- Rump -

Short and steep rumped from hooks to pins

Evaluate Soundness�- Rump -

Excellent

rump

Long rumped and level from hooks to pins

Evaluate Soundness�- Shoulder -

Too straight

in shoulder

Too coarse through shoulder

Evaluate Soundness�- Shoulder -

Excellent

shoulder

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

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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 line
2. Balance between body width, depth, and length
3. Smoothness and angularity of front
4. Blending of the shoulder, ribs, and hip

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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 rear
2. Width between rear feet when the heifer walks or stands
3. Shape over the top

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Evaluate Muscling

Light 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 head
2. Length of the neck
3. Angularity of the neck and shoulder
4. Blending of the shoulder to the forerib

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Evaluate Femininity

Not feminine

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Is it a heifer or

a 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 blending

of shoulder

to forerib

Example�Beef Heifer Class I

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Example�Beef 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 III

Feedlot Steers Class #2

Evaluated by: Celina Johnson

Placing: 2-3-4-1

Cuts: 3-4-5

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Angus Heifers Class A

Angus Class A�#1

Angus Class A�#2

Angus Class A�#3

Angus Class A�#4

Angus Heifers Class A