Farm Table says:
This article talks about a live assessment of beef cattle and how producers can determine if their cattle are suitable or ready to send to various markets.
Items covered in this article were:
• Live cattle assessment criteria
• Fat score
• Muscle score
• Frame score
• Dentition
• Liveweight
• Dressing percentage/carcass weight
• Other criteria
Key points were as follows:
• Cattle can be assessed by the following factors:
• Fatness
• Muscle score
• Frame score
• Dentition
• Liveweight
• Dressing percentage and carcass weight
• Other criteria (sex, breed, temperament, structural soundness).
• A fat score can be determined by a visual or physical assessment of the animal; fat scores vary from 1-6 depending on the fat depth.
• Muscle scores can be determined by the shape and size of the animal and scored from A – E, this also takes into account the fat score.
• Frame scoring is based on an animal’s hip height at a certain age; scores range from 1-11 based on the level type and maturity level.
• Dentition is used measured an animal’s age and is based on milk teeth, 2 teeth, 4 teeth, 6 teeth and 8 teeth.
• Liveweight is best determined by electronic weigh scales that can be installed in a cattle crush.
• Carcase weight is calculated from a known liveweight and the dressing percentage is a factor in that calculation. In simple terms, dressing percentage = (carcase weight / liveweight) x 100.
• The main factor that can affect the dressing percentage includes how long cattle have been curfewed (off feed) before they are weighted to allow for a gut fill loss.
• Other factors that can affect dressing percentages include fat, muscle, breed, pregnancy, bruising and the type of country the cattle have come off (i.e. high quality).
