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A Study of the Accuracy of Scoring Certain Characters in Beef Cattle

United States Department of Agriculture

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the reliability of scores as a measure of differences between animals in the Bureau's record-of-performance studies. There is a need for an accurate but simple method of determining the body conformation and meat quality of animals in whichheredity is the variable. The data analyzed for this study were the scores of twelve points awarded by seven judges to fifteen beef Shorthornheifers and cows on three days about a week apart. The seven judges were all men who have had considerable experience in judging beef cattle.

The score sheet was designed so that 5 choices for each point were possible grading from the most desirable development. The most desirable was given a value of 5, while the least desirable was given 1. The points scored were as follows: symmetry, scale, size of bone, shape of head, smoothness, depth and width of chest, depth of rear flank, straightness of back, conformation of rump, fullness of round, and width of body.