Study Guide for Judging Beef Heifers

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Study Guide for Judging Beef Heifers
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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.

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Ranking of Traits for JudgingBeef Heifers

• Soundness and structural correctness.
• Capacity or volume.
• Style and balance.
• Degree of muscling.
• Femininity.

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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

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Evaluating Structure Front Leg Column
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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

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Evaluating Structure Rear Leg Column
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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

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Evaluating Structure Rear Leg Column
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Evaluating Structure Feet
Hoof-skin junction too close to ground
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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 Pasterns
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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

• 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

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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 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

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Evaluating Structure Rump
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Evaluating Structure Rump
Long rumped and level from hooks to pins
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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 dont need big, coarse shoulders

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Evaluating Structure Shoulders
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Evaluating Structure Shoulders
Nice Set and Smoothness to SHoulder
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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.

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Evaluating Capacity
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Evaluating Capacity
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Evaluating Style and Balance
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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.

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Evaluating Style and Balance
Coarse Shoulder
Thick Neck
Wasty Dewlap
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Evaluating Style and Balance
Coarse, Open Shoulder
Pinched in Forerib
Short Neck
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Evaluating Style and Balance
Shoulder Blends Nicely with Forerib
Smooth, Angular Front
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Evaluating Style and Balance
Nice Blending of Shoulder, Forerib, and Hip
Straight Top-Line
Long, Clean Neck
Nice Balance of Width, Depth, and Length
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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).

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Evaluating Degree of Muscling
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Evaluating Degree of Muscling
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Evaluating Femininity
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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.

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Evaluating Femininity
Too Thick Through Neck
Too Thick and Coarse Through Shoulder
Coarse Head
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Evaluating Femininity
Too Much Shoulder
Excess Hide in Dewlap
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Evaluating Femininity
Refined Head (narrow muzzle)
Long, Clean Neck
Clean, Angular Shoulder
Good Blending of Shoulder to Forerib
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Final Tips for Judging Heifers

• Remember the important traits.
• Know what correct looks like.
• Look at lots of beef heifers.
• Practice your judging skills.

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You Are Ready To Judge Beef Heifers
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