Herd Management 

Through the years, we have perfected a system that works for us and betters our cattle. However, we could not do it without discussions with other beef producers. One of these men was Gerald Fry. Through Gerald, we learned about linear measuring and the benefits it has in selecting animals. By being selective through phenotype, we have managed to put together a nice, uniform set of cows.

 

What is linear measuring? 

Linear measuring is a system used to choose the body type of cows and bulls in order to get animals high in reproduction and meat production while being low maintenance. In this system, you literally measure the different parts of an animal's anatomy. This includes measuring top line, heart girth, rump width, rump height, and body length. By physically measuring the various parts of an animal, one can determine potential structural defects that are often the products of genetics. For example, you want the shoulder width and heart girth to measure greater than the rump width. This means that the animal has a larger chest capacity, won't be pinched in the heart girth, and will have a higher yielding carcass. These factors will also be passed down to future progeny. By recognizing potential problems, the likelihood an unfit animal is put into production within the herd is greatly reduced. 

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Linear measuring guidelines for male and female animals

(Both photos were made by Gerald Fry @ Bovine Engineering.com)

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Why do we believe linear measuring is important?

Sometimes what your eyes see is often deceptive. By measuring an animal, you get an accurate representation of the animal, no matter what he or she appears to look like. And, by using math, you are able to see what that animal will be able to do and the impact it will have on the herd. 

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What benefits have you seen with linear measuring? 

Linear measuring has greatly helped us with our herd. Our cattle are deep bodied, more feed efficient, and very rarely need assistance calving. They also finish well on grass, with a respectable hanging weight and carcass yield.  And, the final result is a delicious, gourmet piece of tender, high quality beef. By utilizing linear measuring, we have been able to produce the type of cattle that we want with the dispositions we desire. And, at the end of the day, we can rest easy knowing that our cattle will live up to our expectations both from a production standpoint as well as a consumer standpoint.