LIVESTOCK EVALUATION
CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENT
Revised 2009
Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event
Purpose: Livestock evaluation involves beef cattle, swine, and sheep. The ability to evaluate
livestock is one of the most essential and constantly used talents of a person involved in the
livestock industry. The practical person must be a good feeder, a devoted caretaker, a skillful
breeder and know how to buy and sell to the best advantage. The ability to evaluate is the basis
of success in all of these phases of livestock production. Even though considerable emphasis is
placed on competitive events, this is not the most important purpose for learning to evaluate
livestock. The development of livestock evaluation teams and competitive events helps young
men and women learn to select and improve livestock.
Objectives:
1. To develop the students' ability to interpret the value of performance data based on industry
standards.
2. To develop students' skills in observation, analysis, and communication.
3. To develop the students' ability to observe and analyze animal traits and make logical
decisions based on those observations.
4. To develop the students' ability to select and market livestock that will satisfy consumer
demands, provide increased economic returns to producers, provide positive economic
returns to producers, and meet the needs of the industry.
5. To enable students to identify the criteria used in grading livestock.
6. To provide an opportunity for contestants to become acquainted with professionals in the
industry.
Event Format:
Placing Classes
At least four of the following classes of animals will be placed: breeding
cattle, market cattle, breeding sheep, market sheep or lambs, market swine
and breeding swine, breeding goats, and market goats. (Revised 8/09)
Oral Reasons
At least one placing class will be designated as an oral reason class before
the event begins. Participants will be notified.
Market Swine
No grading class (Revised 8/03)
Slaughter Cattle
Maximum of one slaughter cattle class may be graded individually
according to latest USDA market grades. Slaughter class may also be
graded according to cut ability.
Keep/Cull Class
One class in beef and/or one class in swine, made up of a maximum of
eight animals may be used
Livestock Evaluation
2
Revised 2009
Rules and Regulations:
1. All general rules apply except as indicated in the specific rules of this contest.
2. Placing Classes
a. Form 2 (or appropriate computer card) will be used for all placing classes.
b. Contestants will have 12 minutes to place each class.
3. Oral Reasons:
a. Contestants will have 12 minutes to place the class. At least 5 minutes will be given
for preparation prior to delivering reasons.
b. A maximum of 2 minutes will be allowed to give reasons.
c. If a contestant uses notes of any kind (including placing cards) when delivering
reasons, the contestant will be given a score of 5 or less points. (Revised 95)
d. Reasons will be scored on the basis of 50 points for a perfect score.
e. The State Staff and University personnel will determine the cut-off point as to which
teams will be required to deliver oral reasons at all area contests.
f. All sixteen teams will be required to deliver oral reasons at the State Contest.
4. Market Swine
a. Form 12 will be used in grading the market swine class.
b. All grades will not necessarily be represented.
c. For most current information, copies of standards and posters (large and small)
illustrating these grades, write to Livestock-Poultry-Grain and Seed Division,
Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, Washington, D.C. 20250. Extension Folder
436, Pork Carcass and Slaughter Swine Grading, Agricultural Extension Service,
University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108.
5. Slaughter cattle
Livestock Evaluation
3
Revised 2009
a. Slaughter cattle will be graded using Form 13.
b. The slaughter class may also be graded for cutability.
c. Refer to Bulletin No. 4 to order reference material.
6. Keep/Cull Classes
a. Form 13B will be used in the female selection classes.
b. Contestants will be required to select the four best animals from the eight, using
visual appraisal and performance data.
c. Performance data to be provided orally or in writing includes:
Both beef and swine--weight for age
Beef--adjusted 205 days weaning weights
Swine--days for 230 pounds, estimated back fat (inches), loin eye area (square
inch)
d. Contestants will be allowed 12 minutes for each class.
7. Tie Breakers: (applied in the following order)
a. A reasons class selected by the contest superintendent
b. A placing class selected by the contest superintendent
c. Other class as selected by the contest superintendent. The following form will be used
in placing designated classes of dairy cattle, livestock, meats and poultry.
Livestock Evaluation
4
Revised 2009
Form 2
STANDARD FFA PLACING CARD
Placings
1.
1-2-3-4
2.
1-2-4-3
3.
1-3-2-4
4.
1-3-4-2
5.
1-4-2-3
6.
1-4-3-2
7.
2-1-3-4
8.
2-1-4-3
9.
2-3-1-4
10.
2-3-4-1
11.
2-4-1-3
12.
2-4-3-1
13.
3-1-2-4
14.
3-1-4-2
15.
3-2-1-4
16.
3-2-4-1
17.
3-4-1-2
18.
3-4-2-1
19.
4-1-2-3
20.
4-1-3-2
21.
4-2-1-3
22.
4-2-3-1
23.
4-3-1-2
24.
4-3-2-1
Check
Placing
Contest
Class Name
Class No.
Contestant Name
Contestant No.
Tabulator's Score
Livestock Evaluation
5
Revised 2009
Form 13
*SLAUGHTER CATTLE
Class Name
Class Number
Contestant Name
Contestant Number
Quality Grade
Animal
Number
PRIME
High
Low
CHOICE
High
Low
Yield Grade
SELECT
High
Low
STANDARD
High
Low
(Cutability)
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
SCORE
4.0
4.5
5.0
Quality
Yield
Total
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Slaughter grades used in the contest are prime, choice, select, and standard.
No slaughter cattle over 42 months of age will be used; therefore, the
"commercial" grade is not shown.
Two points for each full grade above or below the correct yield grade and
the score will be zero for more than one full grade above or below the
designated yield grade.
The contestant is to place a check mark in the quality grade subdivision and
in the correct cutability (yield grade) rating for each animal.
Four points are given for the correct quality grade. A deduction of one
point is made for each one-half grade above or below the official grade.
Two points are deducted for one full-grade above or below the official grade
and the score will be zero for more than one full grade above or below the
official grade. Perfect score is 100 points.
Six points are given for the correct cutability rating. Four points will be
allowed if an animal is graded one-half grade above or one-half grade below
the correct yield grade.
Livestock
6
September 1995
FFA LIVESTOCK CONTEST
KEEP/CULL SELECTION CLASS
CONTEST NAME
CONTESTANT NUMBER
Circle the numbers of the four animals you want to keep.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Contestants will list the numbers of the four animals they select for replacements.
Contest officials will assign a point value to each one of the individual animals, giving the most
points to the most desirable animal and the least points to the least desirable animal. If the
contestant selects the best four animals full credit will be given.
SAMPLE FOR SCORING
Animal Numbers
8
7
6
5
(18) (13) (11) (8)
4
3
2
1
Sample Class
(7)
(4)
(3)
(0)
Point Values
Animal Numbers Selected
Score
Student A
6
8
(18)
Student B
8
7
(13)
Student C
7
6
(11)
(11)
(18)
(13)
4
(7)
2
39
(11)
5
50
5
1
32
6
(8)
(3)
(8)
(0)
Point values shown in parentheses. Point values are established by official judges and will differ
on each class.
Livestock
page 7
September, 1995