1. Market Steers A

2. Market Steers A
Feedlot Steers Class #1 Evaluated by: Celina Johnson Placing: Cuts: I placed this class of feedlot steers In the top pair of steers comparable in finish, I placed 4 over 3 due to his advantage in muscling. Ideally, I would like to see 4 more structurally correct through his shoulder, however, the bald-faced steer shows more shape and natural thickness down his top and through his hip, and stands wider based when viewed from the rear. He should hang a carcass with the highest percent of saleable product in the class. No doubt, 3 is more structurally correct, particularly through the shoulder and deeper bodied. However, he is narrower topped and flatter through the quarter than the class winner, so he is second. It is easily 3 over 2 in the middle pair. He is the nicer balanced steer that better combines yield and quality grade. He is freer of waste through the lower 1/3 of his body and shows more muscle expression down his top and through his quarter. In the bottom pair, it’s 2 over 1 due to his advantage in market readiness. He is carrying more finish over his fore and rear rib and should be safer into the choice grade. I realize that 1 is the leaner. However, he is the least market ready as he runs out of finish over his rear rib. He is also the lightest muscled, narrowest made steer in the class that should hang the least amount of red meat, so he is last.

3. Livestock Judging 1.0 Sheep
Sutherlin AST
Adapted from University of Kentucky Judging PowerPoints and Georgia Ag Ed

4. Steps to Judging Sheep
Evaluate animals from the ground up and from the butt (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

5. Ranking of Traits for Market Lambs
Degree of muscling
Degree of finish
Balance and style
Frame size
Soundness and structural correctness

6. Ranking of Traits for Breeding Ewes
Style and balance
Frame size
Soundness and structural correctness
Capacity or volume
Degree of muscling
Degree of leanness
Wool

7. Evaluate Degree of Muscling
To evaluate degree of muscling, pay close attention to:
Thickness through the center of the leg
Width between the rear legs when the animal is on the move
Length of the hindsaddle
Width and length of the loin
Grooved shape over the rack

8. Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Center Leg and Base Width -
Light muscled
(narrow)
Average muscled
(average width)
Heavy muscled
(wide)

9. Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Width and Length of Loin -
A wide loin is desired in market lambs
A long loin is desired in market lambs

10. Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Length of Hindsaddle -
Greater length of hindsaddle (relative to the foresaddle) is desired in sheep
Hindsaddle
Foresaddle

11. Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Shape Over Rack -
Grooved shape over the rack is desired in sheep
Rack

12. Evaluate Finish
Lambs should be lean with an ideal backfat thickness of 0.15 to 0.20 inches
Degree of muscling, frame size, and stage of maturity influence degree of finish
Watch out for short, light muscled lambs
Fat sheep will be widest over the top
Lambs that are lean will be:
Very trim over and behind the shoulder
Extremely clean and neat through underline

13. Good rule to follow: Fat sheep go last in the class
Evaluate Finish
Flat, wide top
Fat Alert !!
Heavy fronted
Sloppy, loose middle
Good rule to follow: Fat sheep go last in the class

14. Lamb is very trim with base width is at least as wide as width of top
Evaluate Finish
Ideal finish
Lamb is very trim with base width is at least as wide as width of top

15. Evaluate Finish Clean and trim over and behind shoulder
Ideal finish
Trim and neat through underline

16. Evaluate Balance and Style
Balance deals with having equal portions of width, depth, and length, with special emphasis on length:
Sheep should be wide and deep at the rear and tight and trim through the front-end (Christmas tree shape)
Volume of weight in leg and loin

17. Evaluate Balance and Style
Style deals with correctness of structure and straightness of design:
A straight top line is desired
A neat, smooth shoulder that blends smoothly into the neck and ribs is desired

18. Evaluate Balance and Style
Broken topped
Heavy fronted
Steep
rumped
Nasty Sheep Alert !!
(no balance)
Deep
necked
Low
necked
Too heavy through middle

19. Evaluate Balance and Style
Unbalanced
Wrong angle:
heavier in the front half than in the rear half

20. Evaluate Balance and Style
Nice
balance

21. Evaluate Balance and Style
Neck too deep and low in its placement
Poor Style
Steep rumped
Weak topped
Too open shouldered

22. Evaluate Balance and Style
Good style points
Level rump
Straight top line
Very high, correct neck- shoulder connection

23. Evaluate Balance and Style
Smooth at point of shoulder
Good Style Points!
Very high set to neck
Clean, flat breast
Tight over shoulders, correct angular shape

24. Evaluate Soundness and Structural Correctness
When evaluating soundness and structural correctness, pay close attention to:
Feet and pasterns
Hocks
Knees
Rumps
Shoulders

25. Evaluating Soundness - Feet and Pasterns -
Not good
Cripple Alert !
Too much set to pastern
Extreme set to pastern
Poor depth of heel (hoof- skin junction too low)
Very poor depth of heal

26. Evaluating Soundness - Feet and Pasterns -
Nice!
Nice feet and pastern
Good depth of heal
Correct set to pastern
Foot sits flat and even on ground
Big, even toes

27. Evaluating Soundness - Hocks -
Too much set to hocks
Correct hocks
Flex and power

28. Evaluating Soundness - Knees -
Knees that need improvement
Buck-knee and restricted
Knee bowed
slightly inward

29. Evaluating Soundness - Knees -
Good Knees
Straight and strong knee
Proper knee flex for movement

30. Evaluating Soundness - Rump -
Rumps that need improvement
Short and
steep rumped
Level but
short rumped
Long but
steep rumped

31. Evaluating Soundness - Rump -
Just Right
Level rump design
Very long rumped

32. Evaluating Soundness - Shoulders -
Poor shoulder structure
Open shouldered
Coarse shouldered

33. Evaluating Soundness - Shoulders -
Good shoulders
Smooth at point
of shoulder
Blends smoothly from shoulder to forerib
Tight at top
of shoulder

34. Example Market Lamb Class I

35. 1 2 3 4

36. Official Placing:
Cuts: 1 2 3 4

37. Example Market Lamb Class II

38. Market Lambs 1

39. Market Lambs 1

40. Market Lambs 1

41. Market Lambs 1

42. Market Lambs 1

43. Market Lambs 1

44. Market Lambs 1
Official Placing:
3 – 4 – 1 – 2
Cuts: