The Garden City Telegram
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Amateurs test their judging skills
Published 5/28/2009 in Beef Empire Days-Industry
By MONICA SPRINGER
They ranged in weight and breed, two of many factors that participants in the Beef Empire Days Grandstand Judging Contest had to take into consideration on Wednesday afternoon.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Christy Hammer, right, helps her son, Grady, 10, figure out all the spots he needs to fill out on his entry form Wednesday during the Beef Empire Days United Wireless Grandstand Judging Contest at the Finney County Fairgrounds. The Hammers are from Sharon Springs.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Carcass Judge Tom Carr, Irbana, Ill., foreground, tries his hand at juding while the cow's still on the hoof Wednesday during the Beef Empire Days United Wireless Grandstand Judging contest at the Finney County Fairgrounds.
About 40 people participated, with each contestant watching in the grandstands as seven steers and three heifers entered the arena at the Finney County Fairgrounds.
Based on looking at each animal, audience members were asked to provide a quality grade and yield for each animal, along with live pricing for two of the steers. Selecting the quality of grade is one of the hardest things to do with a live animal, said Clint Alexander. Alexander is an animal science instructor and coach of the meats judging team at Garden City Community College and also helps organize the Grandstand Judging event.
It's hard to judge by looking at live animals because each breed of cattle can be different, Alexander said.
Some breeds begin to get too fat at 1,000 pounds. Others don't. Heifers usually weigh in at 100 to 150 pounds lighter than steers, Alexander said, which factors into their quality grade and yield grade.
"It's a luck of the draw," Alexander said. "Sometimes it takes a lot of experience."
Yield grades typically are on a scale from 1 to 5.9. Yield grade 1 is very lean and heavily muscled; yield grade 3 is well finished with average muscling; and yield grade 5 is extremely fat, plain muscling and small.
The yield means how much retail product each steer and heifer will have, Alexander said. One is the best. Five is the fattest.
The quality grade is the palatability characteristics of the meat, such as the flavor, juiciness and tenderness. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has guidelines on yield and quality of grades of cattle.
The quality grades of cattle vary from USDA Prime, which has the most marbling and is usually available at restaurants; choice, which has less marbling and is usually available in supermarkets; select, which has little marbling and is leaner. Other grades below the top three are standard, commercial and utility.
The steers and heifers ranged in weight and breed. The lightest heifer weighed 1,376 pounds, while the lightest steer weighed in at 1,346 pounds. The heaviest of the heifers weighed 1,590 pounds, and the heaviest steer weighed 1,588 pounds.
Thirteen-year-old Cody Hammond and his father, Marvin Hammond, participated in the Grandstand Judging. Cody said this was his second year participating and that he felt pretty confident. He graded the steers and heifers on their weight and build, he said.
Cody said he felt good about the competition and liked the event overall. He also liked the steaks that were provided for free before the event, he said.
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