Evaluating
BEEFMASTER Cattle Beefmaster: Built for... Heterosis Adaptability Maternal Excellence Your Pay Check Your Future
Beefmaster Breeders United
118 W. Bandera Road, Boerne, TX 78006 P: 210/732-3132 • F: 210/732-7711 www.beefmasters.org
4.
3.
External Parts of Cattle 22.
20. 11.
8.
19. 2.
1. 5.
23.
26.
24.
25. 27.
21.
10.
6.
29. 12. 18.
9.
28.
33.
13. 7. 14.
30. 16.
15.
32.
17.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Muzzle Face Forehead Poll Throat Dewlap Brisket Neck Point of Shoulder Shoulder Top of Shoulder
31.
12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
Elbow Forearm Knee Cannon Dewclaw Hoof Lower Forerib, Fore Flank Forerib Back or Top Rib Loin
23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.
Hook or Hip Rump Pin Bone Tailhead Quarter Stifle Rear Flank Switch Hock Pastern Udder (Cow, Heifer) Cod (Steer) Scrotum (Bull)
A BBU Guide to Evaluating Cattle. www.beefmasters.org • P: 210/732-3132 • F: 210/732-7711
Feet & Leg Placement - Front Leg Set
Correct
Bowlegged
Over at the Knee (Buck Kneed)
Knocked-Kneed
Back at the Knee (Calf Kneed)
Correct
Weak Pasterns
Splayfooted (Toed Out)
Pigeon-Toed (Toed In)
Feet & Leg Placement - Rear Leg Set
Extremely Straight (Posty)
Correct
Extremely Curved (Sickled)
Bowlegged
Correct
Cow Hocked
Feet & Leg Placement Diagrams provided by South Dakota State University’s College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences Department of Animal & Range Sciences
Terminology for Cattle Evaluation On Next Page.
www.beefmasters.org • P: 210/732-3132 • F: 210/732-7711
Terminology for Evaluating Cattle Advantages
Criticisms
General Stouter/Stouter Constructed; Nicer Balanced; Growthy/Growthier; Leveler Topped and Hipped; Eye Appealing; More Dimenstional; and Cleaner Chested and Fronted
General Needs More Size; Poorly Balanced; Lacks Growth; Weak Topped; Less Eye Appealing; Deep Chested; and High Flanked
Muscle Heavier Muscled; Thicker Topped; Wider Tracking; Deeper Quartered; More Muscular Expression Loin/ Rump/Stifle/Quarter; Wider Based; Squarer Hip; Squarer from Hooks to Pins; and Set Wider at Pins
Muscle Light Muscled; Narrow Topped; Narrow Tracking; Shallow Quartered; Narrows from Hooks to Pins; and Set Narrow at Pins
Structure More Desirable Slope of Shoulder; More Angle to Shoulder; More Structurally Correct; Easier Moving; Freer on the Move; Squarer on Feet and Legs; More Athletic on the Move; More Flex off - Hocks/Pasterns/ Both Ends; and Better Fills their Track on the Move
Structure Straight Shoulder; Structurally Incorrect; Restricted in Movement; Tight Hip; and Short Strided
Frame Larger Framed; Smaller Framed; More Future Growth and Outcome; and Moderate Frame
Frame Smaller Framed; Larger Framed; and Lacks Growth, Less Outcome
Volume & Capacity Bolder/Wider Sprung - More Outwards Slope to Rib; More Spring of Fore Rib; Deeper Ribbed; Higher Volume; Deeper through Rear Rib of Flank; Wider Based; and Bigger Ribbed
Volume & Capacity Narrower Made; Flatter Ribbed; Less Volume; and Narrower Based
Condition Easier Fleshing; Freer of Fat through the Lower 1/3; Trimmer through Brisket/Flank/Udder; More Desirable Condition; and Softer Appearing
Condition Harder Fleshing; Wastier; Excessive Degree of Condtion; Wasty through Brisket/Flank/Udder; and Less Condition
Breeding Cattle Heifers More Feminine; More Feminine through her Head, Neck and Shoulder; Smoother Blending through her Front End; Blends Smoother from Shoulder to Fore Ribs; and Cleaner in Navel or Underline
Breeding Cattle Heifers Coarse Fronted; Short Necked; Wastier Navel; Wasty Fronted; Round Shouldered; and Thicker Necked
Bulls More Masculine; Tighter Sheath; More Testicular Developement; More Powerful; Stouter; More Desirable Scrotal Shape; and More Correct Angle to Underline
Bulls Refined; Loose Sheath; Less Testicular Development; Twisted Testicle; Pendulous Sheath; Wastier Sheath; Finer Boned; Small Footed; and Short Necked