Study Guide for Judging Beef Heifers

1. Study Guide for Judging Beef Heifers 1

2. Keys Points for JudgingBeef Heifers • Evaluate heifers first from the ground up and then from the rump (rear) forward. • Rank the traits for their importance. • Evaluate the most important traits first. • Eliminate any easy placings. • Place the class based on the volume of the important traits.

3. Ranking of Traits for JudgingBeef Heifers • Soundness and structural correctness. • Capacity or volume. • Style and balance. • Degree of muscling. • Femininity.

4. Evaluating Soundness 4

5. Evaluating Soundness andStructural Correctness When evaluating soundness and structural correctness, attention should be given to: • Front and rear leg columns • Feet • Pasterns • Hocks • Knees • Rump • Shoulders

6. Correct Front Leg Column Splay-Footed (in at knees, out at toes) Pigeon-Toed (out at knees, in at toes) Evaluating Structure – Front Leg Column –

7. Evaluating Structure – Front Leg Column – Problems associated with incorrect front leg column structure in heifers: • Splay-footed: • Added pressure on knee joint • Wears off inside toes • Pigeon-toed: • Added pressure on knee joint • Wears off outside toes

8. Correct Rear Leg Column Cow-Hocked(close at hocks, out at toes) Bow-Legged (out at hocks, close at toes) Evaluating Structure – Rear Leg Column –

9. Evaluating Structure – Rear Leg Column – Problems associated with incorrect rear leg column structure in heifers: • Cow-hocked: • Added pressure on hock joint • Wears off inside toes • Bow-legged: • Added pressure on hock joint • Wears off outside toes

10. Correct Rear Legs Cow-Hocked Evaluating Structure – Rear Leg Column –

11. Feet Turned Out (Not Square) Poor Depth of Heel Evaluating Structure – Feet – Hoof-skin junction too close to ground

12. Excellent Foot Evaluating Structure – Feet – Good, evenly-sized toes Good Depth of Heel Foot sits flatly on ground

13. Pastern Too Weak Pastern Too Straight Evaluating Structure – Pasterns –

14. Excellent Pasterns Evaluating Structure – Pasterns – Flex with Strength Nice Set to Pasterns

15. Correct Hock Angle Sickle-Hocked(feet too far underneath) Post-Legged(feet too far back) Evaluating Structure – Hocks –

16. Evaluating Structure – Hocks – Problems associated with incorrect hock angle in heifers: • Sickle-hocked: • Added pressure on hip and rump • Poor heel depth • Post-legged: • Limited flexibility and increased stress on hock joints • Often hock swelling and (or) lameness • Wears off front of toes

17. Post-Legged Sickle-Hocked Evaluating Structure – Hocks –

18. Excellent Hocks Evaluating Structure – Hocks – Correct Set or Angle to Hocks (Square, Flat Boned, Powerful)

19. Evaluating Structure – Rump – When evaluating rump structure we are concerned with having the proper slope from hooks to pins: • If too much slope: • Added pressure on rear leg column joints • Added stress on hip-loin junction • Can result in sickle-hocks • If too little slope: • Added pressure on rear leg column joints • Can result in post-legged hocks

20. Ski Slope Alert Short and Steep Rumped from Hooks to Pins Evaluating Structure – Rump –

21. Excellent Rump Evaluating Structure – Rump – Long rumped and level from hooks to pins

22. Evaluating Structure – Shoulders – When evaluating shoulder structure we are looking for heifers that have: • The proper set (or slope) to the scapula: • Improper set puts added pressure on elbow, knee, and pastern joints and decreases flexibility • Often associated with other structural defects. • The proper refinement (or lack of coarseness): • Heifers don’t need big, coarse shoulders

23. Too Straight in Shoulder Too Coarse in Shoulder Evaluating Structure – Shoulders –

24. Excellent Shoulder Evaluating Structure – Shoulders – Nice Set and Smoothness to SHoulder

25. Evaluating Capacity 25

26. Evaluating Capacity or Volume Capacity (volume) is determined by three factors: • Body width (rib shape) • Heifers should be wide-bodied with good spring of rib. • Depth of body • When viewed from the side, body depth should be at least ½ of the distance from the top of the back to the ground. • Length of body • Heifers should be long-bodied.

27. Snake Alert Narrow-Bodied and Flat-Ribbed Short-Bodied and Shallow-Flanked Evaluating Capacity

28. Excellent, Wide, Open Rib Shape Excellent, Uniform Body Depth Evaluating Capacity

29. Evaluating Style and Balance 29

30. Evaluating Style and Balance Style and balance refers to how well all the pieces of the heifer fit together. Points to consider include: • Straightness of top-line. • Balance between body width, body depth, and body length. • Smoothness and angularity of front. • Blending of the shoulder, ribs, and hip.

31. Unbalanced Alert Evaluating Style and Balance Coarse Shoulder Thick Neck Wasty Dewlap

32. Unbalanced Alert Evaluating Style and Balance Coarse, Open Shoulder Pinched in Forerib Short Neck

33. Good Front-End Evaluating Style and Balance Shoulder Blends Nicely with Forerib Smooth, Angular Front

34. Excellent Style and Balance Evaluating Style and Balance Nice Blending of Shoulder, Forerib, and Hip Straight Top-Line Long, Clean Neck Nice Balance of Width, Depth, and Length

35. Evaluating Muscling 29

36. Evaluating Degree of Muscling To determine degree of muscling, evaluate the following: • Thickness through the center of the quarter when viewed from the rear. • Width between rear feet when the heifer walks and stands. • Shape over the top (shape to the loin).

37. Heavy Muscled (good width) Average Muscled (average width) Light Muscled (very narrow) Evaluating Degree of Muscling

38. Great Top Shape (heavy muscled) Evaluating Degree of Muscling

39. Evaluating Femininity 39

40. Evaluating Femininity When evaluating femininity in heifers, pay careful attention to the following: • Refinement of the head. • Length of the neck. • Angularity of the neck and shoulder. • Blending of the shoulder to the forerib.

41. Not Feminine!! (Is This a Heifer or a Steer?) Evaluating Femininity Too Thick Through Neck Too Thick and Coarse Through Shoulder Coarse Head

42. Not Feminine!! Evaluating Femininity Too Much Shoulder Excess Hide in Dewlap

43. Super Feminine Evaluating Femininity Refined Head (narrow muzzle) Long, Clean Neck Clean, Angular Shoulder Good Blending of Shoulder to Forerib

44. Final Tips for Judging Heifers • Remember the important traits. • Know what “correct” looks like. • Look at lots of beef heifers. • Practice your judging skills.

45. You Are Ready To Judge Beef Heifers 45