Livestock judging contest at MU

About 1,000 people participated in the 13th Missouri Livestock Judging and Grading contest and workshop on March 9 at the University of Missouri.

Gallatin FFA Chapter member Stefanie Dowell placed third in the cull/keep class for individual scores.

The workshop focuses on livestock judging, animal management and application of USDA grading standards. The contest requires participants to apply their knowledge to all three areas.

Judging is the visual evaluation of meat-producing animals and identification of livestock possessing desirable market and breeding traits. Management is deciding which animals in a herd to keep and which to remove. Grading is judging the quantify and quality of the meats at slaughter and grading it according to USDA standards.

Many participants have judged livestock before, but some had not graded livestock. The contest and workshop are teaching tools for youths learning about different livestock production methods, he said. The contest reinforces classroom discussion with hands-on experience.

The contest and workshop are sponsored by the MU Animal Sciences Department, MU Extension, the Missouri Department of Agriculture Market Development Division, and the USDA Livestock and Grain Market News.