Market Steers Livestock Judging

Steps to Judging Market Steers The ultimate goal as always is to rank the animals from best to worst. Judging market steers should always start at the ground and work up and start at the rear and work forward. Contestants should also eliminate any obvious animals (top or Bottom) Place the remainder of the class based on the rankings of the important traits.

Ranking of Traits for Market Steers Steers today should be extra thick, medium framed, and adequately finished. For market steers, the ranking of traits in the order of their importance is as follows: Degree of muscling Degree of finish (fat cover) Growth capacity Soundness and structural correctness Balance Frame size

Growth Curves for Market Steers                                                                                                             

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Determining degree of muscling should start with evaluating thickness through the center of the quarter. The second view should be an evaluation of base width. A steer that is heavy muscled will typically have good width between its rear feet when it stands and walks. The final view should be evaluation of muscle expression over the top. Heavy muscled steers will have a butterfly shape down the top.                                                                                     

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Thin Muscle Average Muscle Thick Muscle Super Thick The four steers shown in these pictures illustrate animals with thin, average, thick, and super thick muscling. Note the difference in base width among these steers.

Evaluating Degree of Finish Market steers require a certain level of exterior fat to achieve the amount of intramuscular fat, or marbling, necessary to receive a quality grade of Choice. Steers excessive in fat will be discounted for receiving a yield grade of 4 or 5. The most ideal level of exterior fat for a market steer is 0.4-0.6 inches. Areas to consider when evaluating degree of finish include the top line, underline, body depth, brisket, tailhead, udder or cod, shoulder, and over the ribs.

Too Fat                                                                                                                   The appearance of a smooth top, the fullness behind the shoulder, and the looseness through the underline reveal that this heifer is over finished. Fat cattle will be uniformly deep from front to back, and full in their brisket and cod. Cattle that are over finished will also have large patches of fat on each side of the tailhead.

Not enough finish                                                                                                                      This steer does not have enough fat to achieve an acceptable quality grade. This steer has prominent indentions behind the shoulders, is very clean over the ribs, is tight through the underline, and free of fat in the brisket, cod, and around the tailhead.

Adequate Finish When judging, you should look for an adequate amount of muscling and finish. The best combination of both of these two traits because this is the type of livestock that you will be judging.

Evaluating Degree of Finish                               The full look of the brisket on the left is near ideal, while the empty brisket on the right reveals a steer that is lacking finish.

Evaluating Degree of Finish                               The degree of fill in the cod for the steer on the left is very good, while the fat around the tailhead of the steer on the right may be too excessive.

Evaluating Growth Capacity Because steers are sold by the pound, it is important that they have good width, depth, and length for maximum feeding capacity. Width is determined by evaluating width through the chest, base width at the ground (width between the front and rear feet when the animal stands or walks), and spring of rib. Depth should be uniform from front to back and fit proportionally with length and width.                                                                The steer in this picture has good growth capacity. It is wide based, long sided, uniform in its body depth, and has an open rib shape.

Evaluating Soundness and Structural Correctness Because market steers are terminal and will not be retained for a long time within the herd, some would argue that don't need to be sound. However, a lack of soundness will result in limited trips to feed and water and decreased growth. So soundness and structural correctness is important in market steers. Market steers that are sound and structural correct will have flexible, clean, flat joints, long powerful strides, strong pasterns, good set to their hocks and knees, and big feet that sit flatly on the ground. They will also have long, straight top lines and long, level rumps.                                                                                    This picture illustrates an animal that sound and structurally correct. Not the strong pasterns, the good set to the knee and hock, and the big, square feet.

Evaluating Soundness and Structural Correctness Poor Structure                                                                                     Good Structure The top picture shows a steer that is weak topped and short and steep in its rump (poor structure). The bottom picture is a good example of a steer that is long and straight in its strong top line, and long and level in its rump.

Evaluating Balance Balance is having the correct portions of width, depth, and length. Width depth, and length should be in equal proportions that blend together.                                                                                                              This market steer is a good example of an unbalanced steer. It is too heavy fronted and too short and light in its rump. Also, this steer is too shallow in its rear flank and is short bodied.

This steer is well balanced through the front end This steer is well balanced through the front end. It is very clean necked and has a smooth shoulder design.                                                                                                                                                                     This picture illustrates a well-balanced market steer. All of the parts (width, depth, and length) fit together nicely.

Evaluating Frame Size This optimum steer for today's market should be medium framed and finish at about 1,200 pounds. Large framed steers will get too big before they develop the finish that is necessary to receive Choice quality grade. Small framed steers will get too fat before they reach the ideal market weight.                                                                    This steer is too big, weighing 1,400 pounds and lacking finish. This small framed heifer has matured too quickly, and at only 900 pounds is already over finished.

Evaluating Frame Size                                                                                                     This medium framed steer fits well with the demands of the cattle industry. It has excellent muscling, adequate finish, good structure, and good balance at a finish weight of 1,250 pounds.

Market Steers Class I                                                                 1 2 3 4

Official Placing 2 - 4 - 3 - 1 Cuts 3 - 5 - 6 Placings by Traits                                  Placings by Traits Muscle 2 - 4 - 3 - 1 Finish 2 - 1 - 4 - 3 Capacity Structure 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 Balance 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Frame 2 - 4 - 1 - 3 Official Placing 2 - 4 - 3 - 1 Cuts 3 - 5 - 6

Market Steers Class II                                                                 1 2 3 4

Official Placing 4 - 1 - 2 -3 Cuts 4 - 3 - 6 Placings by Traits Muscle                 Placings by Traits Muscle 2 - 4 - 1 - 3 Finish 1 - 4 - 2 - 3 Capacity 4 - 1 - 2 - 3 Structure Balance 2 - 4 – 1- 3 Official Placing 4 - 1 - 2 -3 Cuts 4 - 3 - 6

Summary Reasons, rationale for your placings Questions, comments, or concerns