Virtual Stockjudging - Duffryn Herd

Issy · Post by **Issy** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:18 pm

Di and Roger, all your cows look lovely. Not much good at judging them I am afraid but they all look nice to me.
Our steer turned out to be dead weight of 177.4kg and grade O4L.
Just have to wait for the beef now :D .

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:37 am

Here's a link to a website that explains it Di Beef Classification. I've only just started to take notice of it, but basically it grades animals with the regards to the shape of the carcass, i.e. a skinny animal with a lack of muscle (beef) right up to a muscular type (often bulls I would think), and then also grades the fat cover as well.

"Conformation is a visual assessment of the overall shape of the carcase and how well it is fleshed throughout. It is split into five main classes: E, U, R, O and P. Conformation class E describes carcases of outstanding shape, but these only represent a small proportion of the national kill. Class P describes poorly muscled carcases of inferior shape and again only a small proportion of the national kill falls into this class.

The fat class is determined by a visual appraisal of external fat development. There are five main classes ranging from 1 (very lean) to 5 (very fat)."

So with O+4L or O+3 for example, which would be quite common for a dexter, that's shape/muscling O+ (which is on the good side of ordinary), and the 4L refers to the external fat covering. "O" grade is split into O- (poor side of O) and O+ (good side of O).

As far as I am aware, there is no grading for marbling unlike America (tell me if I'm wrong), which is why US general beef is many people think better than ours. I have heard that this is to change in the UK, which'll be good for Dexters.

The abattoirs do our grading, sometimes it's official and that will affect the price quite a lot. Others will just give you an off the record opinion.

I just culled a cow and she came in at O+5L!!!! Culled her because I just couldn't keep the weight off her and couldn't get her in calf. She's been here 5 years and all she's had is one set of twins!

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jem · Post by **jem** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:55 am

What does the "L" at the end of the grading mean?

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:15 am

"Fatness - five main classes (1 to 5) according to fat cover. Classes 4 and 5 are divided into low (L) and high (H)." Fat level 1 being almost no fat, through to 5, being very fat.

We aim for O+4L or H. The fat lumps either side of the tail would be very visible but not too big. To me, that seems to produce excellent beef. We've just done one at O+3L because I couldn't wait any longer, and it is nice beef but not special. Nice if you like it leaner though.

Some photos of cattle for grading opinions might be interesting?

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Tim Watson · Post by **Tim Watson** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:58 am

There is a very good little booklet from EBLEX called 'Understanding Cattle and Carcases for Better Returns'.
It describes each of the grades and shows photo's of a typical cow, a hanging side and a joint for each of them so that you can see what each of the grades relates to either on the hoof, side or joint.
I have a copy in pdf. If anyone would like one please let me know and I will email it to you.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 8:41 am

Yes please Tim. Went to a Better Return talk and farm walk yesterday, really good, this one was on cattle nutrition and grass. The farm had a herd of 240 Stabiliser sucklers which were very impressive. Not big and just normal cows that look after themselves and calved by themselves usually, mostly small calves. Some of them looked almost exactly the same as some of our red dexters but about 50% bigger. Very nice to see the very latest in modern farming coming back into being more sustainable and easy-care.

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wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:23 pm

Hello all. How do I get the photos small enough to fit into the space? I tried re-sizing but when I preview they are still too big?
Margaret

debra wiltshire · Post by **debra wiltshire** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:46 am

When you resize the photo, do you save it? Hit save and it will come up with a header which you accept. Hope that helps

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:31 pm

I use Photobucket to put the pics on here and edit the images in either Photoshop or Picasa. Picasa is a free download and when you export them from there - for instance to your desktop, which is a good half way house before emailing, sending to Photobucket etc - you are given the opportunity to use the original size or resize. I resize to 600 pixels for posting on here, it is a similar process on Photoshop.

Could be with what you are using Margaret that having shrunk your image - you then need to save the new sized image before sending.

Stephanie

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wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:26 am

Thanks for the advice.
Margaret.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:46 pm

Testing. Testing.
If this works, this is Wagra Clansman, 33 months.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:55 pm

and so is this.

He is by the Danish bull, Kingshill Gullasch, from a Wm Hedgehog 3rd cow.

Margaret

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:52 pm

What a guy!

Who is Kingshill Gullasch? Is he an AI bull? From earlier days or contemporary?

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 5:43 pm

That really is a cracking bull Margaret. Great depth of body and width. Have you got a rear end shot anywhere and is he polled?

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Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:55 pm

He is lovely, excellent conformation all round and really good pics as well, can we see more of your herd please?

Stephanie