How to Judge a Beef Cow
With show season getting started in many parts of eastern Australia, respected livestock consultant and regular Regal Show stud stock gauge Alastair Rayner from Rayner Ag in Tamworth provides some thoughts on judging cattle in the show ring, for the do good of younger readers. See details nearly his upcoming Inferior Judges' Workshops at the base of this folio.
Recently I judged a local show's commercial and stud cattle sections.
I really enjoyed the chance to look at a range of cattle and to provide some comments most the animals I assessed. However on reading through the report of my judging in ane of the major rural papers, I'thou not sure my comments were heard every bit conspicuously every bit I thought I had made them.
Alastair Rayner
If you believe the report, my judging was influenced as much by the recent hot, dry summer as annihilation else. This had obviously acquired my to lean more towards Bos Indicus cattle than British breeds. Well if only it was that simple!
I tin can confidently say that atmospheric condition doesn't influence my judging or indeed change the criteria I have in my mind for cattle.
Climate and environment or the other hand, exercise play a function. I think a lot nearly suitability of a breed to an environment. But its not the first thing I think of.
Three key attributes
I appraise cattle for three key attributes. The kickoff is that they must be structurally audio. When I talk about structure I am referring to the skeletal organization of the beast; every bit well as other physical traits.
So get-go off, I look at the style the beast walks. If an animal tin can place its feet in line with each other, with no over-stepping or under-stepping past the hind feet, so I start to feel the structure of the legs, hips, and shoulders are acceptable. I then similar to wait at how the animal stands, and I have another look at the bending of the shoulders, and the manner it stands with its hind anxiety and legs in a normal standing position.
It'south then that I have a chance to decide if the brute is standing likewise depression on its hind feet, or too loftier. Both of these are a result of legs that are either curved or too directly, and its something I may not have noticed when I was watching it walk. I also desire to see if the hocks are bowed in outwards or in.
What I actually want to determine is how sound the animals feet legs and shoulders are. Can it walk a long altitude each day to graze and water, and will it be able to behave the weight of its torso without causing information technology to have sore joints that could atomic number 82 to swelling, lameness or arthritis?
I reckon these traits are of import for the longevity of animals within your herd and contribute directly to your overall profitability. If yous accept cows that tin can conceive, calve and wean a calf every year that is the first part of profit. The second is to take cows that tin practice this upwardly to 10 years of age.
When I run the figures on herd profits, those that have cows that are fertile and staying in the herd considering they can get about, wait after themselves and a calf have a college profit margin. That'southward often because they are selling a few more than surplus heifers, and the heifers they practise retain for convenance are the select grouping of genetically and physically better heifers.
As part of my structural assessment I await closely at teats and the udder to brand sure that the quarters are all fifty-fifty and the teats are well shaped to support a calf sucking. I as well desire to run across that all four teats tin be used and non left un-milked as this can contribute to mastitis, which is pretty painful for a moo-cow and volition result in lower productivity.
When I'm happy with construction I look for the traits that add to productivity and profitability. Nosotros are breeding cattle to produce red meat, and so I will always select for muscle. I look at the shape of the animals, the width depth and length of each animal to make up one's mind its overall muscle book. You can take muscle in females, and it wont reduce your fertility. So I select for it.
Maturity pattern and frame
I likewise like to think about maturity pattern and frame size. Large framed, later maturity females will naturally require more feed to achieve their body requirements for maintenance, let alone for reproduction and growth. Remember you lot can only grow so much pasture or put out and then many supplements.
And if you desire your animals to do well, y'all need to feed them properly. Big framed, afterwards maturity animals may mean yous run less numbers in your herd, so may impact on the total number of kilograms of beefiness you lot produce each year.
Whenever I assess cattle, temperament is my other central trait. I like cattle to have a quiet temperament. Aggressive or overly excitable cattle are both dangerous and less productive; due to the impact temperament has on eating quality.
Ideally, my preferred animals are those that are structurally sound, well grown, well-muscled females. I prefer them to exist moderate maturity and tranquillity temperament.
Ultimately I prefer them to suit the country and environment and to suit their target markets in both size and breed.
If I can help my clients accept a breeding herd similar that, I'm very happy. And when I'1000 judging I'll always try and select those females first, regardless of the conditions on the day.
Junior Cattle Judges' Workshops
Alastair Rayner is running a serial of Junior Cattle Judges Workshops in Queensland and NSW in coming months. These workshops focus on providing aspiring inferior judges with skills in animal assessment, presenting reasons, appropriate dress and public speaking. All sessions combine theory besides as practical sessions on cess and public speaking.
Places are still available for the first workshop at Tamworth on 4 March, and Orangish on 25 March. A program scheduled for Toowoomba in May is already sold out, but a second event is being planned for Warwick. Click hither for more than information.
- RaynerAg provides a comprehensive informational and preparation service for agricultural producers, agribusinesses and manufacture organisations. Providing independent, technical advice and cognition is the cornerstone of the RaynerAg philosophy.
Source: https://www.beefcentral.com/genetics/what-do-i-look-for-in-judging-cattle/
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