Dr. Tim Page

LSU AgCenter

Judging101.com ($45/year, great DVD, videos, slides)

Animalscience101.com (excellent judging videos, slides)

Ars.sdstate.edu/LivestockJudgingManual.pdf (Free judging manual)

Msucares.com/pubs./publications/p2289.htm (Free judging manual)

www.cevmultimedia.com (excellent videos and slides)

Pig Parts

Lamb parts

Don’t overload young people just getting their feet wet

KEEPIT SIMPLE!

You may be better off with 4-6 kids that don’t know anything about judging

All team members must judge the same

They must all critique animals the same

If each one does their own ‘thing’, the team concept is shot

Remember, this is a team made up of individuals

EPD’s – Expected Progeny Difference – the expected difference compared to the average of the breed

Pigs – NB, NBA, NW, LEA, BF, TRF, D250, MLI, SPI, TSI

Cattle – BW, WW, YW, REA, IMF, BF, $Beef

NB – Number born, NBA – Number born alive, NW – Number weaned, WW – weaning weight at 21 days, LEA – Loin eye area, BF – backfat, TRF – tenth rib fat, D250 – the number of days for that pig to reach 250 lb, MLI – Maternal Line Index, SPI – Sow Productivity Index, TSI – Terminal Sire Index

BW – Birth weight, WW – Weaning weight, YW – Yearling weight, REA – Rib eye are, BF – Backfat, $Beef – Profitability Index

Scenario – This class of Angus heifers will be used in a purebred Angus seedstock operation in South Louisiana. This producer derives the majority of his income through an annual production sale where heifers and bulls are sold to fellow producers and as well to youth for 4-H and FFA projects.

EPD – Which is better? BW 1.2 or 3.5, WW 35 or 24, IMF 1.5 or .75

ID BW WW YW REA IMF BF $Beef

_______________________________________________ 1 3.6 42 71 .65 1.1 .12 46.40

2 1.2 42 70 .70 1.3 .08 45.90

3 .45 29 58 .25 .15 .24 41.23

4 2.9 38 63 .45 .32 .18 42.50

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These Angus heifers will be bred to Lim-Flex bulls to produce replacement heifers for sale to other producers as well as retain top 15%.

Numbers 2 & 3 are my top pair

Numbers 1 & 4 are my bottom pair

Use data when giving oral reasons

Oral Reasons – Are they an ancient form of punishment? Do we use them to torture 4-H and FFA members?

Well, not really, but maybe sometimes

Oral Reasons – tell the official what you saw

Canned reasons XXXXX

Memorize XXX

Appropriate attire (team colors, neat, no hats or caps, no tennis shoes)

Must have the ability to look someone in the eye and deliver oral reasons, do not try to intimidate by being too loud

Pick out certain differences and mention them so the officials know you really saw the class Examples: The #2 red hog, or the #4 belted hog, blue rump hog, blaze face heifer, etc.

Oral reasons improve public speaking skills, better thinker, increase confidence