introduction to livestock judging
TRANSCRIPT
Cattle
• 2 categories of cattle classes – Breeding – Market
• 3 major types of cattle classes – Steers – Heifers – Bulls
• All have different criteria to use to help sort the class.
Market Cattle
• The only market animal you will judge in the cattle division are steers.
– What to look for in market steers • Muscle • Body • Structure • Finish • Look/balance/profile
Market Cattle • Body
– There are multiple areas to evaluate when determining the body shape of a market steer
• Is he flat ribbed • Is he bold ribbed • Is he shallow bodied • Is he deep bodied • Is he long bodied or short bodied
Market Cattle
• Structure – One of the most important factors when
evaluating any livestock – Can be the hardest thing to learn/ teach. – Many different degrees of soundness
Structural Soundness Tail Head
Depth of Rear Rib
Depth of Fore Rib
Rib Loin
Hooks Rump
Crest
Tail
Quarter
Middle
Hock
Dew Claw
Rear and Fore Flank
Brisket
Dewlap
Point of Shoulder
Muzzle
Poll
Foreman Knee
Hoof Pastern
Navel Udder
Cannon
Hoof Pastern
Switch
Shoulder 90
Stifle
Pins
Market Cattle
• Balance/Look/Profile – What to look for
• Long clean neck • Level hip • Smooth shoulder • Clean chested
Market Cattle
• Now lets see what you learned – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=263
Breeding Cattle
• What to look for in breeding cattle? – Body – Structure – Balance – Growth & Performance – Muscle – Femininity/Masculinity
Breeding Cattle
• Body – Same as we talked about in market animals.
• Still want them to be bold ribbed, deep sided and ideal in their body length.
Breeding Cattle
• Structure – Same as we talked about in market animals.
• This is more important in breeding cattle than in market animals.
Breeding Cattle • Balance
– Very similar to market animals but this plays a little different role when you get to looking at bulls vs. heifers.
– Still want them to be long fronted, level topped and proportional in their body length.
– Bulls can be a little deeper sided, and have extra leather on their front ends compared to heifers.
Breeding Cattle
• Muscle – Look for it in the same places as you do market
animals. – For heifers this is not a very important sorting factor.
• Its an added bonus if they are really good in all other areas and still have muscle
– For bulls this is an important factor to consider when sorting them
• Light muscled bulls tend to pass that along and so therefore it is better to find one that has muscle along with the other factors to make an ideal bull.
Breeding Cattle
• Femininity/Masculinity – Femininity- a female term describing how they
look, you want heifers to look like ladies • Commonly referred to how their head and neck
appears
– Masculinity- a male term describing how they look, you want a bull to look like a man
• Commonly referred to how their head and neck appear
Breeding Cattle
• Now lets practice – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=22
5 – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=21
4 – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=27
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Swine
• 2 categories of swine classes – Breeding – Market
• 2 major types of cattle classes – Barrows – Gilts
Swine
• Selection Criteria for Swine – Muscle – Body – Structure – Balance/ eye appeal – Lean/Condition
Swine • Muscle – #1 priority in market animals.
• Look for muscle from behind, up top, and in the forearm
– Muscle indicators » Ham, loin, grove top, wide blades, forearm
Swine
• Structure – Very important on both breeding and market.
• Observe how they move off both ends. • Observe their angles to their joints.
Swine • Balance
– Proportional Skeleton – Attractive and well balanced look from the side
• Level topline and hip • Strength behind the blade to the loin
– Structural correctness • Looseness of skeleton and mobility
Swine • Lean/Condition
– Term to describe the degree of finish on swine – A fat hog with little muscle can be a problem.
• Fat shape is round shape – Indicators of leanness
• Jowl • Over blades • Elbow pocket • Seam of ham • Lower 1/3 of body
Swine
• Now lets practice!!!! – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=25
9 – http://www.livestockjudging.com/practice/?id=22
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