AS-444
animal sciences beef
Judging contests are an important educational tool. Someday, young cattle producers will be faced with selection decisions that affect the profitability of their operations. They should be prepared to use all information available to them, including performance data. Therefore, to better educate future cattle producers, performance data should be included in livestock judging classes and in all judging competitions. The combination of evaluation through performance records and visual appraisal better prepares students for realistic selection decisions.
Judging contests have long been used to exercise the decision-making abilities of young producers. By presenting contestants with a set of cattle, they make logical decisions as to the relative worth of each animal in the class. Often, the only knowledge about the class comes from visual appraisal. Contestants can visually appraise and estimate general size, weight, and composition (lean to fat ratio), but they could increase their accuracy if they could consider performance information. Factors such as weight, rate of gain, frame score, backfat, and scrotal circumference are easily measured, and contestants can make more accurate decisions by evaluating them. Estimated Breeding Values (EBV), ratios, accuracies, and Expected Progeny Differences (EPD), which are easily obtained from most beef breed associations and progressive breeders, can help determine differences between individuals more accurately than visual appraisals alone.
This fact sheet is for training youth interested in modern beef selection practices. A cattle producer using performance information while making selections is like anyone successful in business who uses the most accurate inputs possible to make economically sound decisions. This fact sheet provides some examples of judging situations that include performance records. The possible types of classes are as numerous as the selection decisions pro-
ducers must face every year. Before any judging exercise, contest or otherwise, one must define the class of cattle, obtain the appropriate performance data, and make and justify decisions to meet the defined needs.
Defining the Class
Any selection exercise involves determining which animal comes closer to fulfilling a defined need. Before a sensible choice can be made, the judge should provide the answers to three questions:
1.	How are the selected animals to be used (the Selection Purpose)?
2.	Under what conditions are the selected animals expected to perform (the Selection Situation)?
3.	From the selection situation, what are the most important functions the animals must serve (Selection Priorities or Goals)?
The class purpose, situation, and priorities can be
very simply stated, such as for this class of Shorthorn heifers:
Purpose—Shorthorn replacement heifers.
Situation—Small herd of registered Purebreds producing commercial bulls.
Priorities—G rowth.
These selection criteria can be stated more elaborately depending upon the advanced level of the student or contestant, or what concepts the instructor wishes to teach. Consider the following description for a class of Angus bulls:
Purpose—Natural service sire in a two-breed rotational crossbreeding system.
Using Performance Data in Beef Judging Classes