Study Guide for Judging Market Steers

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Study Guide for Judging Market Steers
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Keys Points for JudgingMarket Steers

• Evaluate market steers 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 in the class.
• Place the class based on the volume of the
  important traits.

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Ranking of Traits for JudgingMarket Steers

• Degree of muscling
• Degree of finish (amount of fat cover)
• Growth capacity
• Soundness and structural correctness
• Balance
• Frame size

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Growth Curves for Market Steers
Phase III Fat
Phase II Muscle
Phase I Frame
1,400 lbs
900 lbs
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Evaluating Degree of Muscling

• Degree of muscling is best determined by
  evaluating
• Thickness through the center of the quarter.
• Width between the rear feet when the steer stands
  and walks.
• Shape over the top (or loin).

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Evaluating Degree of Muscling
Narrow Width
Average Width
Good Width
Very Good Width
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Evaluating Degree of Muscling
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Evaluating Degree of Finish
Fat is first deposited from front to rear, and
then from top to bottom. The order of areas to
consider when evaluating degree of finish are

• Shoulders
• Over the ribs
• Top line

• Around the tail head
• Flanks and underline
• Brisket and cod (udder)

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Evaluating Degree of Finish Shoulders
Lots of Indentations
Smooth with No Indentations
About Right
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Over Ribs
About Right (Some Fat Over Ribs)
Too Raw (No Fat Cover Over Ribs)
Too Fat (Very Smooth Over Ribs)
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Top Line
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Tail Head
Too Much Fat
Too Little Fat
About Right
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Flanks and
Underline
Deep Bodied
Shallow Bodied
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Brisket
Full Brisket (Near Ideal)
Empty Brisket (Lacks Finish)
Overly Full Brisket (Too Much Finish)
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Evaluating Degree of Finish Cod or Udder
Too Much Fat
Too Little Fat
About Right
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Evaluating Degree of Finish
Fat Tail Head
Smooth Over Shoulder, Top, and Ribs
MR. FATTY 950 lbs
0.9 inch backfat Yield grade 4 Choice quality
grade
Full Brisket
Deep Flanks and Loose Underline
Cod Fat
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Evaluating Degree of Finish
Very Trim Over Shoulder, Top, and Ribs
Trim Tail Head
Empty Cod
MR. MUSCLE 1,250 lbs
Empty Brisket
0.2 inch backfat Yield grade 1.6 Standard quality
grade
Tight, Clean Underline
Shallow Rear Flank
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Evaluating Growth Capacity

• Market steers with a high capacity for growth
  will be
• Wide through the chest.
• Wide between their feet when walking or standing.
• Uniform in body depth.
• Open through their rib.
• Long bodied.

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Evaluating Growth Capacity
Shallow Flanks
Shallow-Bodied and Flat-Ribbed
Narrow-Chested
Short-Bodied
Narrow-Based
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Evaluating Growth Capacity
Open Rib Shape
Uniform Body Depth
Wide-Chested
Long-Bodied
Wide-Based
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Evaluating Soundness
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Evaluating Soundness and Structural Correctness

• Sound and structurally correct market steers will
  have
• Flexible, clean, flat joints.
• Long powerful strides.
• Strong pasterns.
• Good set to hocks and knees.
• Big feet that set flat on the ground.
• Long, straight top-line.
• Long level rumps.

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Evaluating Structure Pasterns
Poor Depth of Heel
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Evaluating Structure Pasterns
Flex with Strength
Nice Set to Pasterns
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Evaluating Structure Hocks
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Evaluating Structure Hocks
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Evaluating Structure Hocks
Correct Set or Angle to Hocks (Square, Flat
Boned, Powerful)
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Evaluating Structure Knees
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Evaluating Structure Knees
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Evaluating Structure Feet
Good, evenly-sized toes
Good Depth of Heel
Foot sits flatly on ground
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Evaluating Structure Top-Line
Weak Topped
Long and Straight
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Evaluating Structure Rump
Short and Steep Rump
Long and Level Rump
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Evaluating Balance
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Evaluating Balance

• Balance in market steers refers to
• Having the correct proportions of body width,
  body depth, and body length.
• Having good blending of body width, body depth,
  and body length.

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Evaluating Balance
Short and Light in Rump
Short-Bodied
Heavy Fronted
Shallow Rear Flank
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Evaluating Balance
Good Weight in Hindquarter
Clean Necked
Uniform Body Depth
Smooth Shoulder
Good Length of Body
Good Base Width
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Evaluating Frame Size
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Evaluating Frame Size

• The optimum steer for todays market should be
  medium framed and finish at about 1,200 pounds.
• Large framed market steers will get to big before
  developing adequate finish.
• Small framed market steers will be early maturing
  and get too fat before they reach optimum market
  weight.

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Evaluating Frame Size
1,300 lb Large Framed Steer with No Finish
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Evaluating Frame Size
900 lb Small Framed Steer with Too Much Fat
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Evaluating Frame Size
1,250 lb Medium Framed Steer ? 0.4 in Backfat ?
13.5 in2 Ribeye ? Low Choice Quality Grade
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Final Tips for JudgingMarket Steers

• Remember what the most important traits are
  (dont sweat the small stuff).

• Know what correct looks like.
• Practice your judging skills (look at lots of
  market steers).

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You Are Ready To Judge Market Steers
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