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Selection and Judging of Beef Cattle: A Comprehensive Guide

Learn about different beef production systems, selection criteria, and judging methods for beef animals. Understand the importance of conformation, performance records, pedigree, and other factors in selecting superior animals. Enhance your knowledge with tips on judging market classes, breeding classes, and using correct terms in judging beef animals. Improve your skills in providing oral reasons for class placements.

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Selection and Judging of Beef Cattle: A Comprehensive Guide

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  1. Selection and Judging of Beef Cattle Chapter 14

  2. Objectives • Describe the different types of beef production systems • Name the parts of a beef animal • Select superior animals

  3. Types of Beef Production • Cow-Calf Producers • Keeping a herd of beef cows to produce calves • Sold to feeders who feed to slaughter weight • Performed mainly in Western range states • Requires less labor, large investment of land • Calves are either feeder (under 1 year of age) or yearling calves (aged 1-2 years)

  4. Types of Beef Production (cont.) • Purebred Breeders • Provide replacement bulls for cow-calf operations • Responsible for genetic improvements • Knowledge and skill are required • Costs are higher • Takes many years to develop

  5. Types of Beef Production (cont.) • Cattle Feeders • Feed animals for slaughter • Use more grain in feeding to provide desired market results • Return on investment in 4 to 6 months • High-risk enterprise due to price fluctuation

  6. Selection of Beef Animals • Conformation • Appearance of the live animal • Skeletal structure • Muscling, fat balance • Straightness of animal’s lines • Structural soundness • Proper conformation = more high-value cuts

  7. Selection of Beef Animals • Conformation (cont.)

  8. Selection of Beef Animals (cont.) • Performance Records • Performance testing: collecting records to select most productive animals • Production testing: measuring brood cow production by evaluating performance of the offspring • Progeny testing: evaluating a bull by the performance of the offspring

  9. Selection of Beef Animals (cont.) • Pedigree • Record of animal’s ancestors including names and sometimes, performance data • Recent ancestors most important in selection • Use of bloodlines can become a fad

  10. Selection of Beef Animals (cont.) • Other Factors in Selection • Only healthy animals should be brought into the herd • Check animal’s health carefully • Females should test negative for various diseases

  11. Selection of Beef Animals (cont.) • Selection of the Herd Bull • One of the most important decisions a cattle breeder makes • Consider • Sire summaries • Maternal breeding value (MBV) • Expected progeny difference (EPD)

  12. Judging Beef Animals • Comparing animals based on conformation • Usually four animals in class to be judged • Certain procedures should be followed when judging

  13. Judging Beef Animals (cont.)

  14. Judging Beef Animals (cont.)

  15. Judging Beef Animals (cont.)

  16. Judging Beef Animals (cont.)

  17. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Judging Market Classes • The main things to look for are • Type • Muscling • Finish • Carcass merit • Yield

  18. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Judging Market Classes (cont.) • The main things to look for are • Quality • Balance • Style • Smoothness

  19. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Breeding Classes • Judged on several traits • Condition • Size • Feet, legs, and bone • Breed character • Sex character

  20. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Judging Terms • Correct terms should be used when judging • General terms used and listed describe • Breeding and slaughter cattle • Expressions for slaughter cattle • Expressions for breeding cattle

  21. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Oral Reasons • Provided to explain the difference of animals that influenced placing • Basic guidelines should be followed for: • Completeness • Length • Presentation and delivery

  22. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Oral Reasons (cont.) • Basic guidelines should be followed for • Accuracy • Terms • Taking notes

  23. Judging Beef Animals (cont.) • Oral Reasons (cont.) • An example of note-taking

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