LIVESTOCK EVALUATION

CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENT

Revised 2015


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.

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

Louisiana FFA Livestock Evaluation Revised 2015

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.  Slaughter cattle

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.

5.  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.

6.  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.

Louisiana FFA Livestock Evaluation Revised 2015

Form 2
STANDARD FFA PLACING CARD
Placings / Check
Placing
Contest
Class Name
Class No.
Contestant Name
Contestant No.
Tabulator's Score / A. / 1-2-3-4
B. / 1-2-4-3
C. / 1-3-2-4
D. / 1-3-4-2
E. / 1-4-2-3
F. / 1-4-3-2
G. / 2-1-3-4
H. / 2-1-4-3
I. / 2-3-1-4
J. / 2-3-4-1
K. / 2-4-1-3
L. / 2-4-3-1
M. / 3-1-2-4
N. / 3-1-4-2
O. / 3-2-1-4
P. / 3-2-4-1
Q. / 3-4-1-2
R. / 3-4-2-1
S. / 4-1-2-3
T. / 4-1-3-2
U. / 4-2-1-3
V. / 4-2-3-1
W. / 4-3-1-2
X. / 4-3-2-1

Louisiana FFA Livestock Evaluation Revised 2015

Form 13

*SLAUGHTER CATTLE
Class Name Class Number
Contestant Name Contestant Number
Quality Grade / Yield Grade
Animal
Number / PRIME / CHOICE / SELECT / STANDARD / (Cutability) / SCORE
High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / High / Low / 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 / Quality / Yield / Total
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Livestock Evaluation 6 Revised 2015

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.

The contestant is to place a check mark in the quality grade subdivision and in the correct cutability (yield grade) rating for each animal.

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.

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.

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.

Livestock Evaluation page 7 Revised 2015

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 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / Sample Class
(18) / (13) / (11) / (8) / (7) / (4) / (3) / (0) / Point Values
Animal Numbers Selected
Score
Student A / 6(11) / 8(18) / 4(7) / 2(3) / 39
Student B / 8(18) / 7(13) / 6(11) / 5(8) / 50
Student C / 7(13) / 6(11) / 5(8) / 1(0) / 32

Point values shown in parentheses. Point values are established by official judges and will differ on each class.

Livestock Evaluation page 7 Revised 2015