Rules / Beef and Sheep Stockjudging
Competition Rules 2017/18
PURPOSE
This competition helps young farmers to become skilled at assessing livestock, thus preparing them for the actual job of buying and selling farm animals.
It encourages decision-making.
Stockjudging broadens the young farmers knowledge of new developments in stockbreeding, husbandry and disease control.
The same rules apply to both the senior and under-23 competitions. However, different academic tests will be used for senior and under-23 competitors in both competitions.
TEAMS
This is a competition for individual members.
ENTRIES
Counties/regions can enter one member in each of the senior and under-23 sections of the Beef Stockjudging Competition.
ELIGIBLITY
- All competitors in the senior section must be 17 years of age,or over, and under 35 years on November 1, 2015.
- All competitors in the under-23 section must be 17 years of age or over and under 23 years on November 1, 2015.
- Previous county winners/representatives are ineligible to participate in the same section for one year after winning.
- Competitors can only enter one section of the Beef Stockjudging Competition in any one year.
- National winners are allowed to re-enter the competition after 5 years.
FORMAT (BEEF)
The Beef Stockjudging competition consists of the following tasks:
a) Academic test (10 questions with five points awarded per question for correct answers);
b) One pen of six beef cattle (mandatory); and, any two of the following three:
c) One pen of six light stores;
d) One pen of six replacement heifers;
e) One pen of six bulls;
f) Reasons for beef cattle; or,
g) Live weight (kilos only) beef cattle.
All animals will be designated A, B, C, D, E, F. All animals and judging cards will be supplied by the organisers. Competitors are required to carry out the following:
a) Academic test: complete a paper on beef husbandry (a pen and calculator will be allowed). Time allowed: 20 minutes.
Any two of options (b), (c), or (d):
b) Light stores: place six light stores (approx. 350kg each) in order of merit for growth potential. Time allowed: 15 minutes.
c) Replacement heifers for a suckler herd, place in order of merit, six replacement heifers suitable for a suckler herd. Time allowed: 15 minutes.
d) Place six bulls in order of merit. Time allowed: 15 minutes.
e) Fat cattle: place each animal in terms of EU and fat classification. (full grades only)
f ) Reasons: give reasons to judges for placing of beef cattle competitors, may keep notes for this section on paper provided only. Time allowed: two minutes.
g) Weight: estimate liveweight (kg) of animals in (f) above. In the liveweight, 10 marks will be awarded for being within 20kg above or below the correct weight. Five marks will be awarded to the 20kg above or below this range and no marks will be awarded thereafter.
Competitors must not communicate with any persons during all sections of this competition. Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification in the relevant section.
The following score card will be used for placing animals with the animal number along the top in order of judges placement:
Judges
The judges will officially judge the animals in accordance with the Macra Score Chart. The judges’ decisions in all sections are final.
Marking System
Academic test............................... 50
Judging bulls .............................. 60
Judging light stores ................... 60
Judging replacement heifers ..... 60
Reasoning ................................... 60
Liveweight of beef cattle ............. 60
EU and fat classification ............ 48
Total.............................................. 338
FORMAT (SHEEP)
The sheep stockjudging competition consists of the following tasks:
- An academic test.
- Judging a pen of four cross-bred ewes.
- Judging a pen of four rams of the same breed.
- Reasons for cross-bred ewes.
- Judging a pen of four finished, fat lambs.
- Liveweight (kilos only) four finished lambs.
All animals will be designated A, B, X and Y. All animals and judging cards will be supplied by the organisers. Excessive handling of animals may result in penalties.
- Academic test: complete a paper on sheep husbandry, (a calculator will be allowed) Time allowed: 20 minutes.
- Cross-bred ewes: place four cross-bred ewes in order of merit. Time allowed: 15 minutes.
- Rams: place four rams of the same breed in order of merit. Time allowed: 15 minutes.
- Reasons: give reasons to judges on placing of crossbred ewes, (competitors may keep notes for this section on paper provided only). Time allowed two-minutes.
- Fat lambs: place in order of merit four fat lambs for the French market.
- Estimate the liveweight, in kilos, of four fat lambs. One mark will be deducted for every kilo above or below the correct figure per lamb.
Competitors must not communicate with any persons during all sections of this competition. Failure to comply with this rule will result in disqualification in the relevant section.
Note: Mobile phones are not permitted while competing in this competition. If a competitor is found to have a mobile phone on their person, while the competition is in progress, they will be disqualified.
JUDGES
The judges will judge the animals in accordance with the Macra Score Chart. The judges’ decisions in all sections are final.
MARKING SYSTEM
Academic test .............................. 40
Judging cross-bred ewes ......... 40
Judging rams ............................. 40
Reasoning .................................. 40
Weight Fat Lambs ....................... 32
EU Grid ........................................ 40
Total ............................................. 232
RESULTS
The winner in each section will be the competitor with the highest total score. In the event of a tie, the result in the academic section will decide first place.