Fact Sheet Written by:
Sally L. Dolezal, Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist
Nakita Coe, Communications Intern
And Provided by
Oklahoma State University
Live animal evaluation takes into consideration any subjective measurements that help describe an animal. Some common measurements of cattle include backfat, pelvic area, scrotal circumference, height at the shoulder, height at the hip, and length of body. In recent years, height measurements have become a descriptive supplement to many herd testing programs. Linear measurements for height have added another dimension to evaluating the lean-fat ratio of an individual animal. How much emphasis breeders should place on linear measurement should depend on their goals relative to type of cattle desired. A linear measurement should never be interpreted as a replacement for the weight of an animal at a given age.
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