You be the judge 

As I sat in the stands and watched the next generation of young Angus enthusiasts take their trip across the green shavings, I thought about the role that visual evaluation plays in our industry. While it is fun to see the attractive show cattle that kids have worked so hard to groom, as part of the Black Ink team, I’ll be the first to admit that visual evaluation can’t stand on its own in a herd.

One of my favorite things to do as a spectator at registered Angus shows is to follow along just as closely in my show program as I do in the ring. My dad and I often sit together in the stands to cuss and discuss how closely we agree (or sometimes disagree) with the judge. Sometimes, to throw an extra element of father-daughter competition, we’ll try to identify which of our “pairs” are related. At the larger shows where classes have upwards of 15 head it’s always fun to look down the line at heifers that almost look like they came out of a cookie cutter. Take a look at the book, chances are they may be from the same cow family, sire group, or even possibly flush mates.

The bottom line is that you can still find out more about those calves. They have pedigrees and EPDs that can aid young breeders in making mating decisions. In the world of commercial Angus cattle that are so vital to the supply of the Certified Angus Beef ^® brand, EPDs and complete pedigrees are often nothing more than a figment of the cattleman’s imagination. If you’re a commercial breeder, can you be confident enough to let all your management decisions ride on your own visual evaluation skills? This week, in honor of the junior show in Louisville, we’re introducing our own judging contest.

Check out the Black Ink Facebook page and put your judging skills to the test on our class of replacement heifers. We’re using GeneMax™ Scores as our judge this week for selecting females with the most gain and grade potential. Sort out our grand drive accurately and a CAB^® prize package could be headed to your doorstep!

Good luck!

Kara

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