Disposition Scoring

Studies have shown that animals with calmer dispositions are more productive both on the ranch as well as in the feedyard and ultimately exhibit higher carcass values and greater tenderness. The AGA is currently in the process of developing a temperament EPD to help better select for a more desirable disposition. Below are guidelines on how to disposition score and what information should be reported to the Association on the registry system.

When to Score:

The ideal time to score is when the calves are still within their weaning contemporary group. This scoring could take place at branding, during the weaning process, or even a short time after weaning when the producer is making the final evaluation of animals prior to them leaving the herd. Scoring at this time gives a better unbiased set of scores across all sires represented in a group of calves.

How to Score:

Below are the Beef Improvement Federation’s Guidelines for Disposition Scoring. This system is a simple 1 to 6 score where animals that score a 1 are the most docile and a 6 is the most aggressive. This docility scoring system is designed to subjectively evaluate difference in disposition when animals are processed through the squeeze chute.

The docility scores below are designed to subjectively evaluate the differences in disposition when animals are processed through the squeeze chute. Scores should be collected while calves are restrained with headgates but without having motion restricted by squeeze.

Score 1 – Docile. Mild disposition. Gentle and easily handled. Stand and moves slowly during processing. Undisturbed, settled, somewhat dull. Does not pull on headgate when in chute. Exits chute calmly.

Score 2 – Restless. Quieter than average, but may be stubborn during processing. May try to back out of chute or pull back on headgate. Some flicking of tail. Exits chute promptly.

Score 3 – Nervous. Typical temperament is manageable, but nervous and impatient. A moderate amount of struggling, movement and tail flicking. Repeated pushing and pulling on headgate. Exits chute briskly.

Score 4 – Flighty (wild). Jumpy and out of control, quivers and struggles violently. May bellow and froth at the mouth. Continuous tail flicking. Defecates and urinates during processing. Frantically runs fence line and may jump when penned individually. Exhibits long flight distance and exits chute wildly.

Score 5 – Aggressive. May be similar to score 4, but with added aggressive behavior, fearfulness, extreme agitation, and continuous movement which may include jumping and bellowing while in chute. Exits chute frantically and may exhibit attack behavior when handled alone.

Score 6 – Very Aggressive. Extremely aggressive temperament. Thrashes about or attacks wildly when confined in small, tight places. Pronounced attack behavior.

Source: 9^th Edition Beef Improvement Federation Guidelines.

Mature Cow Weights

The American Gelbvieh Association is continually developing tools for producers to monitor maternal efficiency. One of those tools is a mature cow weight EPD. Members are asked to collect and submit heifer yearling weights and mature cow weights.

• Females should have a yearling weight and then several weights as a mature cow. The mature cow weights can fall into different age brackets (2-4 years, 5-8 years, 9+ years).
• Heifer yearling weights should be taken between 320 and 410 days of age.
• The ideal time to take cow weights is within 30 days of weaning.
• The process of taking weights can be combined with other management practices such as ultrasound scans and preg-checking.
• Weights can easily be submitted at the same time as weaning weights via the member online animal registry system.

How to Score:

Below is the body condition scoring system from the University of Missouri Extension.

Score 1 – Emaciated. The cow is severely emaciated and physically weak. Bone structure of shoulder, ribs, back, hooks, and pins are sharp to the touch and easily visible. No evidence of fat deposits or muscling. This body condition score is rarely observed in the field.

Score 2 – Very thin. The cow appears emaciated but not weak. No evidence of fat deposition. Muscle atrophy is significant in the shoulder, over the loin and rump, and through the hindquarters, The spinous and transverse processes, hooks, and pins feel sharp to the touch and are easily seen.

Score 3 – Thin. Very little fat cover over the shoulder, loin, and rump. The foreribs have slight evidence of fat deposition, but the last three or more ribs can be seen. The backbone is still highly visible. Processes of the spine can be identified individually by touch and may still be visible. Spaces between the processes are less pronounced. There is evidence of muscle loss in the hindquarters.

Score 4 – Borderline. Foreribs are slightly noticeable and the 12th and 13th ribs are still easily visible. Muscle atrophy is still noticeable over shoulders, loin, and hindquarters, but is approach normal. The transverse and spinous processes can be identified only by palpation (with slight pressure) and feel rounded rather than sharp. The hooks and pins are covered in minimal fat and easily identified.

Score 5 – Moderate. There is slight evidence of fat deposition in the brisket. Muscle expression in the shoulder, loin, rump, and hindquarters is normal. The last two ribs (12th and 13th) can only be seen if the cow has less than normal gut fill. Individual spine and transverse processes cannot be seen, can only be felt with firm pressure, and feel rounded. Spaces between the processes are not visible and are only distinguishable with firm pressure. Areas on each side of the tailhead are starting to fill. Hooks and pins are covered with a layer of fat, but still distinguishable.

Score 6 – Good. The cow exhibits a smooth appearance throughout. Ribs are fully covered and not noticeable to the eye. Hindquarters are plump and full. Noticeable springiness over the foreribs on each side of the tailhead. Firm pressure is now required to feel the transverse processes. Fat deposition on the brisket is evident.

Score 7 – Fleshy. The brisket is full, but not distended. Spinous and transverse processes are embedded in fat and can only be felt with very firm pressure. The topline is beginning to take on a square appearance. Spaces between processes can barely be distinguished. Abundant fat cover on either side of the tailhead with evident patchiness.

Score 8 – Obese. The cow’s neck appears short and thick. Brisket is distended with fat. Animal takes on square and blocky appearance over the topline and smooth along the sides. Bone structure cannot be seen anymore. The pins are embedded in fat on both sides of the tailhead. Evidence of fat deposition in udder.

Score 9 – Very obese. Rarely seen. Bone structures are not easy to identify. The tailhead is buried in fat. The cow appears short-necked with a full, and distended, brisket. Significant fat deposition in the udder. The animal’s mobility may be impaired by excessive fat.

Body Condition Scoring Resources:

University of Missouri Extension

Kansas State University Extension

Udder Scoring

Udder and teat quality are two of the most important functional traits of a mother cow. Udder and teat soundness are a concern for a number of reasons: 1. Labor associated with extra costs and reduced convenience; 2. Longevity, which may be reduced because of injury or mastitis; 3. Calf performance, affected by a reduction in milk flow, or lower colostrum intake by newborn calves having difficulty nursing oversized teats; and 4. Udder and teat characteristics appear to be heritable. This means there is variation in the udder quality of daughters from different sire groups. Thus, udder and teat quality can be changed through selection.

Below is a udder and teat scoring system based on the Beef Improvement Federation’s Guidelines.

Udder suspension and teat size scores are numerical values that reflect differences in udder and teat quality. Udder suspension scores are subjective assessments of udder support and range from 9 (very tight) to 1 (very pendulous). Teat size scores are subjective assessments of teat length and circumference and range from 9 (very small) to 1 (very large). Udder and teat scores should be taken within 24 hours after calving, preferably by one person and on the weakest quarter.

HP and PG 30 EPD Data

The AGA has developed and released two EPDs to further help producers improve profitability through maternal efficiency. These EPDs are heifer pregnancy (HP) and 30-month pregnancy (PG30). In order for an animal to obtain these EPDs, certain data described below must be turned in on females.HP predicts the profitability that a bull’s daughters will become pregnant as first-calf heifers in a regular breeding season and is expressed as a percentage. To have a heifer pregnancy EPD, a female must have a yearling weight observation to be assumes as exposed to a bull. If a calf is then recorded around two years of age the female is given a successful HP record.30-month pregnancy is the probability that bull’s daughters will become pregnant and calve at three years of age, given they have calved as first-calf heifers. To have a PG30 EPD, a female must have a successful HP record.When the animal has both a successful HP and PG30 record, the animal then receives a $Cow index value.For more information on these EPDs, please visit the EPDs page.

Collecting Carcass Ultrasound Data

The American Gelbvieh Association encourages members to collect and submit carcass ultrasound data for inclusion in genetic evaluation and EPD calculations. Official ultrasound barnsheets can be printed from the AGA online registry system, for those members not on the online registry service you may contact the AGA office to request an ultrasound barnsheet. For your ultrasound data to be included in an AGA ultrasound evaluation, the following guidelines must be met:

• Ultrasound data must be processed through a centralized ultrasound processing lab accredited by the Ultrasound Guidelines Council (UGC).
• AGA has no official requirements regarding ultrasound equipment provided the technician is UGC certified and can generate the required ultrasound information.
• All animals must be on file (registered or computed) with the AGA prior to submitting ultrasound data to the AGA.
• Data must be submitted to the AGA on barnsheets obtained through the AGA office or via the online registry system.
• Ultrasound Data Required:
  • Percent IMF – intramuscular fat (0.00 %)
  • Ribeye area (00.0 sq. inches)
  • Rib fat thickness (0.00 inches)
  • Rump fat (0.00 inches)
• In addition to actual ultrasound data, AGA requires the following information:
  • AGA registration number of each animal
  • Date scanned
  • Actual weight on the date scanned
  • Technician name (must be certified)
  • Ultrasound equipment used
• Ultrasound carcass data must be collected between 320 and 480 days of age. Collecting data on bulls at or close to an average contemporary group age of 12 months is ideal. Heifers tend to show more variation if they are slightly older, 13-14 months of age
• AGA recommends that ALL animals are weighed and scanned for a given contemporary group.
• Animals should be in good flesh at the time of scanning. Bulls should be scanned prior to being taken off of gain test. Heifers should be scanned following a growing or developing program. Scanning at these times allows animals to express maximum genetic differences for marbling and fat thickness.

• Ultrasound Guidelines Council Website Link (www.ultrasoundbeef.com)
• Find a UGC Certified Technician near you