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How to Judge a Beef Breeding Heifer

Heifers are young cows, and the term normally refers to a cow that has not yet given birth. The importance of judging beef-breeding heifers is important, as only the best females are equipped to develop profitable, quality offspring, and to reproduce regularly over long periods of time. There are different ways to judge breeding heifers, including genetic defect detection and bloodline research. But the traditional way is to visually score them, using six criteria. Visually judging breeding heifers is also competitive, with 4-H clubs and local fairs holding regular judging contests.

Instructions

The Six Visual Judging Criteria
- 1
  Weigh the heifer. The best weight is between 900 and 1,250 pounds at weaning time. Smaller cows usually produce calves with less potential for growth, while larger ones require more maintenance.
- 2
  Note the muscle distribution. Heifers should have smooth, even, moderately thick muscle distribution. Texas A &M's outline frowns on thick, bunchy muscling, as it can be an indicator of light milk production.
- 3
  Notice the fat distribution, also known as finish. The finish should be even across the heifer. Look for fatty deposits, as a heifer with excessive fat buildup in a certain areas is judged lower than one with very little fatty areas.
- 4
  Determine the structural soundness of the heifer. Look at both the feet and legs, and find any defects, such as splay footing, which is when the hooves are pointed out, away from each other. Also check for knock knees and curled, small, or uneven toes. When looked at from behind, the heifer's legs should be straight.
- 5
  Examine the sex characteristics of the heifer. Look for good, noticeable feminine traits in the cow. Heifers should have long, narrow necks, refined heads and smooth shoulders. An adequately sized udder is also important, with small- to medium-sized teats. Udders that are too large or too small are considered faults.
- 6
  Look for specific breed characteristics. The characteristics of specific heifer breeds should be judged along with other qualities. These characteristics include color, markings, head and ear size, and overall shape and carriage specific to each breed. Angus, Hereford and Texas Longhorn are beef cattle breed examples. Texas A &M University has a comprehensive breeds of beef cattle description on its website.

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