Carcass contests---How does your local show calculate the results?

[oakbar]

I am interested to see how different shows across the country calculate their carcass information.

We recently changed ours because the formula that we had been using ended up with a value that correlated too closely with the Rate of Gain contest.  Also, the packers in our area have started discounting "Club Calves" so much that the 4-Hrs and their parents were taking huge financial hits on the animals.  I guess this was the packer's way of telling us that they didn't want to bother with carcass contests.. 

The old formula included total weight gain from the day of our initial weigh in(December) to the date of the fair weigh in(June).  While I think this might be an excellent way to determine the value of an animal in a feedlot, we were looking for information that just told us what actual meat value, etc. was in the animal the day of the show.  We have since gone to a ultrasound scan of each individual for Rib Eye Area, Back Fat, and Intramuscular Fat.  We then submit this to the ISU Area Beef Specialist and calculates the results based on a common dressing percentage.  We understand this is not an actual slaughtered basis for comparing the animals but would be similar to what the bull test stations use to calculate their results.  The other positive of this method is that you can also get information on the breeding animals if you want.  We were pleased when my daughter's heifer(home raised Shorthorn/Simmy/Maine) won the carcass evaluation with a 17.3 REA, .31 Backfat, and 4.6 IMF.       

Let me know how your local fairs calculate their carcass results.

 

[simtal]

I've done many tag transfers at a plant on cattle from a carcass contest.  Many plants have a group that does this exclusively.  I would think that plants wouldn't mind do this as many have camera grading systems installed that allow the seller to obtain carcass data for a small fee (used to be free but oh well).  I think that the resistance to working with club calves is that they don't want the calves themselves. Collecting the carcass data isn't that hard.

 

[ADG]

We have started using scan data to calculate our carcass contest.  Cattle are scanned at weigh in and then they are done.  It is a little pricey, but we had such a small group participate that it was getting to be a pain to ship them to the packers and then get data back.  Our US tech then places the animals for us based on dollar value.  The benefit to this is that we now have every (almost every) kid participate in the contest.  The tech does an awesome job explaining to the kids what they are looking at on the screen. 

 

[P-F]

The Ohio State Meats Judging team evaluates our carcass, top 15 steers are butchered and awards are given about a week after the fair, everyone has an opportunity to walk through the coolers, they also do rabbits, chickens, sheep, goats, hogs and dairy steers, makes for a very educational event!

 

[Show Steaks]

Ours is judged off of dollar value per cwt/# or carcass value.... might i add that if you have a select you are inelgible to win no matter the value, rate of gain is also added to ours.

I had a steer with a 4.2 adg/ yield grade1/942# cwt/ but was hgih select, not sure how he looked way too fat.
He got 2nd to a yield grade 1 low choice char steer witha 3.4 adg and 750#cwt

 

[oakbar]

You must have a Choice grade in our show to place as well, although the county next to us does their carcass measurements and calculations the same as we do but they do not have the Choice grade requirement.

 

[cowz]

Oakbar, I am an old retired carcass judge.

We used to do a ranking scale based on rewarding REA, fat opposite the ribeye based on .4 inches, 3.5% KPH, and moderate carcass weight, based on a 600 # carcass.  Nowdays, nobody wants to mess with a hanging carcass evaluation.

Our county does an ultrasound and the carcasses are ranked by this data.

We keep the rate of gain totally separate.  If I had my way we would totally do away with it.  In order to win a ribbon and $100, a lot of kids starve back their calves before the original weigh in.  I do not think that this teaches good feeding or stewardship practices.  (Typically, these are the worst calves anyhow.)

When you do an ultrasound, does your county extension insist on clipping the hair off?

 

[ADG]

Our contest does not require clipping, tech just uses the veggie oil and the kids get them washed that afternoon.

 

[oakbar]

Last year was our first year, but no, we didn't have to clip the calves--we just used the oil and scanned them.

 

[Dusty]

Our county always did performance contest which took ADG into account.  After the cattle were killed, they took the final carcass value and then use the ADG to figure out a $/day on feed figure.  The feedlot type steers usually win because of the ADG part.  Every once in awhile a clubby does well though.

 

[Dusty]

We keep the rate of gain totally separate.  If I had my way we would totally do away with it.  In order to win a ribbon and $100, a lot of kids starve back their calves before the original weigh in.  I do not think that this teaches good feeding or stewardship practices.  (Typically, these are the worst calves anyhow.)

Having any ADG requirement for county and state shows is why calves are shrunk excessively before winter/spring weigh ins.  Alot of calves have 150+ lbs pulled off of them before they get weighed in.  I wish the show side was just a show with no ADG or age requirement and then they could have a performance beef class for the feedlot type cattle.

 

[oakbar]

I don't believe starving calves before our show is much of a problem--I know most of the calves here well before they're brought to the show(I'm the Beef Team advisor) and I haven't seen any indications of that.  However, if you can get enough condition on an animal by not pushing them too hard, you probably would have a better chance of doing well in the carcass contest.  For example, the heifer we won with last year was fed in the same bunk with our breeding heifers.  I don't try to push them(she was never on a full feed until just before the show) because we know we're going to breed these heifers and we don't want them too fat.    Usually, the animals fed like our breeding heifers would not grade choice or place well in the carcass show.  But then,of course, most 1250 lb. heifers don't have a 17+ REA either.  Its probably also safe to say that we will never win a rate of gain contest because we show only heifers(as yearlings)and we limit their feed intake to try to keep good condition without excessive fat cover.  That's why we were a little surprised to win---I knew she had a big top in her and she wasn't real fat but I didn't think she'd make Choice because of how we fed her.