Judging Beef Cattle. 



21 



very probable that many of the individuals have been up for compe- 

 tition and have been passed on before. If one judge has done all 

 the judging and has kept in mind the animals which were placed at 

 the top of the class on the individual basis, it may aid him materially 

 in placing the group classes. It must be remembered that just be- 

 cause a group contains an animal placed first in the individual class 

 is no indication that that group will be placed first. It often happens 

 that the best individual may be in the group placed last. In classes 

 composed of groups of animals the judge must compare each group 

 as a whole and base his final conclusion upon a careful examination 

 of the animals in each group. In these classes uniformity of breed- 

 ing -and trueness to breed type are especially important qualifications. 

 The conformation, condition, and quality always command first 

 consideration, but the others are of great importance in placing group 

 classes of cattle. 



A student who has advanced to the stage of comparative judging 

 should have clearly in mind the ideals for the various classes of cat- 

 tle. The detailed score card previously discussed is for use in scoring 

 animals individually. For comparative judging, it is necessary to 

 have a card giving the placing of several animals in order of excellence. 

 Considerable space is also necessary for the giving of reasons, because 

 the greatest benefit in practice judging is derived from the giving of 

 the reasons and the discussions of the placing. In discussing the 

 differences of animals the order of importance should be given. It 

 is well to confine the discussion mainly to the outstanding good quali- 

 fications and the most prominent defects and make little or no men- 

 tion of the minor points. If the animal placed first is an outstanding 

 good individual, say so, and pass on to the next two for comparison. 



The following form is designed for comparative judging and may 

 be used for all classes of beef cattle. It is designed for classes of 4 

 animals but may be modified for any number. 



COMPARATIVE JUDGING BY CLASS OR TEAM. 



Kind of Cattle 



Name of student: 



Order of placing: First 

 Third 



Second 



Fourth 



Date: 



,19.. 





(Write reasons for placing below.) 







Reasons for placing No. 



over No 











Reasons for placing No. 









Reasons for placing No. 



over No. 



