Carcass contest

[box6rranch]

Every year at our county fair we have a carcass contest for the steers that make auction and are butchered. I'd like some opinions on where other people think the grand champion and reserve should place within the carcass contest. It's my opinion that if you have a good judge and unaltered beef the grand and reserve should at least place in the top 10% of the list. I'd appreciate some other opinions on this topic. Thanks in advance!

 

[knabe]

i feel it doesn't matter.  if people want more reward for carcass, reward it more.  get a locker at the fairgrounds, with stands and a judge inside, have the judge wear a white smock, have a usda inspector there cutting off slices to inspect, have the contestants groom the carcass, trim it, color it, inject water, fat, get some blowers whatever.  it will still be the same.  it doesn't matter.  they are just shows.  have fun.

 

[box6rranch]

I think you are looking at two separate topics. Showing in the actual beef show and having fun with your project and then having your carcass judged for quality.

 

[forbes family farms]

I feel if the owner wants the calf to be in the carcass class, he/she should be able to, but it should make a difference on if the Grand/reserve champion enter, i think  it should be judged on which calf has the best carcass.

 

[box6rranch]

In our county it's mandatory. If your steer makes sale it's automatically entered in the carcass contest. Should there be any relativity between the quality of meat to the placing of the steers in show? I was always told that a good showring judge should be able to place the grand and reserve in the top 10% of where they place in the carcass results. Most every year this has held true but this year it's really off.

 

[knabe]

I think you are looking at two separate topics. Showing in the actual beef show and having fun with your project and then having your carcass judged for quality.

no i'm not.  i'm just saying one could turn the carcass contest into a beauty contest and people would still get upset, cry foul, connections etc.

if one wants to combine them, i'm saying there is no venue to have stands, a judge and all the rest associated with the carcass contest.

i'm all for combining them if that's what people want to do, but since it's a contest, the contest pro's and cons go with it.

bottom line, have fun.

 

[shorthorngirl2010]

My take on it- from what I've seen, you can't have a 'show steer' and have a 'carcass steer', its almost like its 2 different entities & if you have one, it can't be the other. NOW-- I understand they are NOT ALL LIKE THIS, but in my opinion, there needs to be more banner winners that will go to the rail, grade at least choice @ a YG 2 or 3, with a 63+/- dress%. Maybe there are more than I think (out there)-- I may be wrong; but to me, that's where the industry needs to be. That being said, I think that's how a terminal show NEEDS to be judged. Maybe ultrasound for data before the show even?... Its just a thought.
As always, just my $0.02, take it for what its worth

 

[knabe]

50% of beef requires almost no fat for sales to the fast food industry.

it is my belief, there should be a carcass contest for the most dominate economic sector and quit this foolishness thinking an ideal carcass should have some fat which only comprises a small segment of the market, perhaps as low as 10%.

should shear force be added to the carcass contest?

 

[SouthWest]

Box6ranch,  I mostly agree with you.  Thats another way to grade the judge and keep him honest.  I understand he cannot be perfect but yes I believe the grand and reserve should be in top 10 % if the judge was good.  Our fair does the same as yours.  All steers that go through sale get put into carcass contest.  But our nieghbor contest is completely different.  At time of entries, one has to declare ones market steers and carcass steers.  Carcass steers are harvested before the fair and displayed during the fair to the public.  One steer cannot do both or change classes after entries.  I know some people believe the market steer is a show steer.  A beauty contest.  Its about which one looks pretty at time of show.  I believe that it should go back to what the project is about.  Its to represent what happens in an industry.  I believe that the carcass contest should mimic how commercial cattle are sold to a packer.  I think that a contract or a grid should apply.  Even taking hot yield into consideration.  Yes the fast food industry is important to the beef industry.  But most of that beef is imported from other countries to be mixed with grind from the USA. The middle third of the carcass is where the money cuts are not in the grind.  When we breed beef, we do not breed on which animals will produce the most grind.  Export markets also are important to the industry by taking center cut from our beef.  But the most important segment that most of the packer grids are based on are on the American housewives.  What does Americans eat at thier homes.  A 1 % shift in American consumer buying habits is much greater than a 10% shift in export.  American households are key.  There are many ways a carcass contest can be shaped.  I believe that the project should mimic in beef industry.  Ask a local packer to get involved, share his two cents, and create a contest that teaches kids what the industry is about.  Back to the question.  A good honest judge should be able to place his top two picks in the top 10.

 

[box6rranch]

Thanks SouthWest. That's my thought. I guess I also look at the fact that the buyers in our county spend a lot of money for the grand and reserve steers. Yes, they were probably the prettiest and showiest out of the barn but they should expect/receive at least a choice grade product. I look at it as a satisfied buyer who will return year after year and not end up getting something less in quality than what they could purchase in the supermarket.

 

[Rocky Hill Simmental]

Carcass steers and market steers are different at the show I go to.

The market steer show is for people in 4-H and FFA under 21 years old and are judged based on their looks and are sold later in the week based on their placing. The only way their carcass will effect you at all is if the buyer requests resale and you checked "send to packer" (as opposed to taking him home or sending to sale barn) on your contract if the buyer. The packer pays you based on carcass traits and you get the difference from the original buyer from the floor price. Nothing to do with the show though.. in the past they used to do an ultrasound test and the steers that were prime got $100 extra.

The carcass steer show is for everyone and they only stay at the fair one night. They show first thing in the morning and some years they have an FFA livestock judging contest with them. Then they are loaded on a truck and butchered right after the show.

 

[Aussie]

Here the lead str carcase comp is the norm. Firstly are your led strs scanned if so the judge should be very close. At our Royals all cattle are scanned. In our local comp of about 100 animals the cattle are not scanned and usually the judges picks are as you say in the top ten %. One if the factors that can throw the judge is if, as we had a few years ago, some dark cutting carcases and the carcases were down graded. The cattle leave the show killed next day inspection of carcases two days after the show. Try to get the judge to stay for carcase inspection can be interesting as he tries to dug himself out of a hole. We have found that a packer or feedlot operator is closer in this sort of comp as a judge than a led steer-stud stock judge. Our prizes are weighted towards the carcase. After all it is all about us breeding the perfect carcase for what the market requires isn't it.

 

[LoVeShOrThOrNs]

In my opinion a judge should not be judging if he cannot truly judge a carcass. Screw the hair and everything else, feel for cover and finish!!!! Yes our judge was WAY off this year in selecting the grand and reserve based off carcass. If I was the person that bought the meat from these kids I would be severely pissed off to know that I spent that much money on SELECT grade!!!!!!!!