F30 Beef Cattle Evaluation Some of the pictures and text contained in this material have copyright restrictions limiting their use. Use of this information

F30 Beef Cattle Evaluation

Some of the pictures and text contained in this material have copyright restrictions limiting their use. Use of this information is

for example only and should not be reproduced without the permission of the owner.

Lesson Outline Slaughter Cattle Evaluation

Evaluating Degree of Muscling

Evaluating Degree of Finish

Evaluating Top Line

Evaluating From the side

Soundness and Structural Correctness

Frame Size

Quality Grades

Infovets Educational Resources – www.infovets.com – Slide 3

Slaughter Cattle Evaluation

Livestock evaluation starts with a visual observation from three views

Front Side Rear



In each of these views you are going to look for specific traits. Market animals are evaluated on four main traits listed in order of

importance:1. Muscle2. Finish3. Structural Correctness4. Balance & Growth Capacity


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationTerms for Understanding

Muscle - red meat for human consumption Finish (quality) – amount of fat covering the carcass of a market

animal *ANIMALS ALL FINISH FROM FRONT TO BACK**ANIMALS ALL FINISH FROM FRONT TO BACK* Structural Correctness – Applies to the structural correctness of an

animal and its ability to carry muscle Balance & Growth Capacity - Having the correct portions of

width, depth, and length


Where to Start

We have established the degree of muscle as the most important trait on a market animal. The greatest amount of muscle on the animal will be in the hind quarters.

The hind quarter view is one of the most important views when judging market animals.


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationRear View - Muscle

1. Width through the center portion of the rear (stifle)

2. Width between rear feet when steer stands, and (or) walks

3. Length of muscle-especially in the lower quarter

4. Width of top (butterfly shape desired)


Thin Muscle

Very narrow width

Average Muscle

Averagewidth

Thick Muscle

Goodwidth

Super Thick

Very goodwidth

Evaluating Degree of Muscling


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationRear View - Finish

Overall Appearance Squareness: A blocky shape means there is too much fat. An angled appearance means the animal is not finished. A smooth, round shape is correct.

Specific areas of fat deposits from the rear view: Tail head Udder or Cod


Cod fat

Near ideal Too Fat

Tailhead fat

Evaluating Degree of Finish


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationRear View - Correctness

Does the animal stand on it’s feet correctly with the toes pointed forward, or does it severely toe in or toe out?

Pay close attention to the distance between the hocks. It should be about the same as the distance between the pasterns.


Slaughter Cattle Evaluation - Side View

1. Evaluate the top line for muscle and finish

2. Evaluate structural correctness

3. Evaluate the degree of balance


Poor

Weak topShort, steep

rump

GoodLong, straight top line

Long, level rump

Evaluating Top Line


Remember the Rule

Overall Appearance Squareness: A blocky shape means there is too much fat. An angled appearance means the animal is not finished. A smooth, round shape is correct.


950 lbs0.8 inches backfatChoice 504.0 yield grade

Smooth over top

Loose underlineFull brisket

Fat tailhead

Udder fat

Evaluating From the Side


$ 1,250 lbs$ 0.2 inches backfat$ 1.6 yield grade$ Standard quality grade

Clean over ribs

Emptybrisket

Indentationbehind

shoulder

Tight, clean underline

Shallow rear flankEmpty cod

Trim tailhead

Evaluating From the Side


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationSide View - Finish

Amount of fat covering the last two ribs Excess fat through the flank


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationSide View - Correctness

Straightness of the lines; back, hips, & underline It is undesirable for the legs to be too far under the steer or to be too “post” legged


Sound and structurally

correct

Big, square feet

Strong pastern Strong pastern

Good setto hock Good set

to knee

Evaluating Soundness andStructural Correctness


Evaluating 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.


NO BALANCE

Heavy fronted

Too short

Too light in hind-quarters

Too shallow in rear flank

Evaluating Balance


Divide the animal into thirds. Front 1/3, middle 1/3 and rear 1/3. Are they all the same length?All the parts (width, depth, and length) fit together nicely.

Evaluating Balance


Good growth capacity

Widechested

Wide walking

Uniform body depth

Open rib shape

Long bodied

Evaluating Growth Capacity


Evaluating 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.


1,400 lb large framed steer with no finish



900 lb small framed steer with too much fat



1,250 lb medium framed steer with proper finish

0.4 backfat $ 13.5 in2 ribeye $ Low choice quality grade $ 2.8 Yield grade



Width in the chest floor Substance of bone Muscle in forearm

Slaughter Cattle EvaluationFront View - Muscle


Fullness in the brisket Excess fat through the neck

Slaughter Cattle EvaluationFront View - Finish


Nice brisket

Full brisket (near ideal)

Too trim

Empty brisket (lacks finish)

Evaluating Finish From the Front


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationFront View - Correctness

Width in the chest floor Standing straight and solid on front legs Do the feet toe out or toe in?



Lets judge a class of 4 steers. Place them in order from best to worst; For example, 2-1-3-4 or 4-1-2-3.

Eliminate any easy placings in the class.



It’s probably best to place them from all views, considering all traits, then put a final placing on the animals.


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationAngus Steers – Front View


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationAngus Steers – Side View








Slaughter Cattle EvaluationAngus Steers – Composite Side View


Slaughter Cattle EvaluationAngus Steers – Rear View


3-1-4-2

Slaughter Cattle EvaluationAngus Steers – Teachers Placings


1 2

3 4

Example Market Steer Class II


Muscle: 2-4-3-1 Finish: 2-1-4-3 Capacity: 2-4-3-1 Structure: 4-3-2-1 Balance: 4-2-3-1 Frame: 2-4-1-3 Official Placing: 2 - 4 - 3 - 1 Cuts: 3 - 5 - 6

Market Steer Class IIPlacings By Traits


1 2

3 4

Example Market Steer Class III


Muscle: 2-4-1-3 Finish: 1-4-2-3 Capacity: 4-1-2-3 Structure: 4-1-2-3 Balance: 2-4-1-3 Official Placing: 4 - 1 - 2 - 3 Cuts: 4 - 3 - 6

Market Steer Class IIIPlacings By Traits


Prime Choice Select Standard

These grades are in order from highest quality to lowest quality

Slaughter Cattle EvaluationQuality Grades of Slaughter Cattle


Prime:

Choice:

Slaughter Cattle EvaluationQuality Grades of Slaughter Cattle


Select:

Standard:

Slaughter Cattle Quality Grades


The more marbling in the red meat, the higher the quality grade The amount of marbling is in direct relationship to the amount of

fat covering the steer. Generally the fatter the animal the more marbling it has.




The ideal grade for slaughter cattle is:



Documents

F30 Beef Cattle Evaluation Some of the pictures and text contained in this material have copyright restrictions limiting their use. Use of this information