Transcript Livestock Judging

Livestock Judging:
Reasons are Not All the Same
Credits
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The presentation was created by Drew Obermeyer, KState Agricultural Education Student as partial fulfillment
of EDSEC 505, May 5, 2006
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Some format editing was done by Clark Harris, Assistant
Professor, K-State Agricultural Education
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The professionals at Judging101.com allowed us to use
the graphics in this PowerPoint presentation.
Reasons to Judge Livestock from the commercial
perspective: an interview with Dr. Twig Marston
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What is the purpose of judging livestock?
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Who benefits from judging livestock?
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There is not one purpose of judging livestock. There are many.
Learning form and function of farm animals, memory stimulation,
communication skills, industry and people networking, the ability to
reason (think), the ability to justify a decision, travel opportunities,
and time management.
Anyone that is associated with the activity: producers, students,
industry people, businesses.
What is your best suggestion for a beginner who is starting out
judging livestock?
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If in high school check with extension agent or high ag teacher. If in
college, take classes. Also, can attend livestock shows to get a feel
for the activities.
Helpful Information
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Placing-The official way that the animals were
ordered (or placed) in class based on numerous
factors
Cut-Cuts are penalties for placing the class different
than the official placing. The total of the three cuts
cannot exceed 15 points
Reasons-An explanation to another person why you
chose to place the animals the way you did, points
are awarded on the overall fluency and correctness
of the reason, even if your placing is different than
that of the judges.
Now lets judge
a couple of classes
Class 1: Market Lambs
Market Lambs
Profile
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1
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2
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3
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4
Market Lambs
Rear View
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1
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2
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3
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4
Market Lambs
Top View
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1
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2
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3
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4
Market Lambs
Front View
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1
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2
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3
3
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4
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Take a few moments and write down
your placing!
Market Lambs
Placing
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Placing: 4-1-3-2
Cuts: 3-5-2
Reasons are your reasons
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All people will not the see the class of
livestock the same.
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You are defending your placement.
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Here are three examples of reasons for this
class of lambs.
Market Lambs
Reasons Example Set # 1
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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.
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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.
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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 Set # 2
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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.
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In my middle pair I place 1 over 3. 1 is wider based and more
expressive 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 light
muscled and narrow constructed.
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In my bottom pair I placed 3 over 2. 3 is leaner made sheep that I
would expect to rail a higher cutability carcass. I grant 2 for being
heavier muscled, but I place him fourth, He is the shortest bodied and
fattest made sheep in the class.
Market Lambs
Reasons Example Set # 3
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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.
Now lets judge
a class of steers
Class 2: Market Steers
Market Steers
Profile
1
3
2
4
Market Steers
Rear View
1
2
3
4
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Take a few moments and write down
your placing!
Market Steer
Placing
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Placing: 2-3-4-1
Cuts: 3-4-5
Market Steer
Reasons Example Set # 1
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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.
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.
Market Steer
Reasons Example Set # 2
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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.
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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.
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In my bottom pair I placed 4 over 1. 4 is the bigger bodied steer that
appears to have been easier feeding. Also I would expect him to be
safer grading. I realize 1 is leaner made, but he is the lightest
muscled and barest finished steer in class.
Market Steer
Reasons Example Set # 3
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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.
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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.
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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.
Additional links that may be
helpful
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Judging 101
 http://www.judging101.com/
Mississippi State Extension 4-H judging manual
 http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2289.htm
CSU livestock extension/outreach
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http://livestock.colostate.edu/index.html