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
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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
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1
2
3
4
3.6
1.2
.45
2.9
42
42
29
38
71
70
58
63
.65
.70
.25
.45
1.1
1.3
.15
.32
.12
.08
.24
.18
46.40
45.90
41.23
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
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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