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Measuring Muscling & Maturity Pattern |
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Muscle Score (LMS) is assessed visually on scale from "A+"
(very heavily muscled) to "E-" (very poorly muscled)
representing a (15 point) scale from "E-" = 1 to
"A+" = 15.
An alternative, non visual assessment approach developed by Mr Bill McKiernan in NSW Agriculture's Muscle Research project.
This
involves measuring the width across the stifle and the width across the
hips.
These Stifle (S) to Hip (H) measurements for an animal can be then expressed
as a ratio.
A Heavy muscled animal is characterized by a stifle measurement similar to or wider than its hip measurement.
Work to date using this method provides a good fit with the visual LMS scoring system. The ratios are likely to be:
LMS
S/H Ratio
A
=
1.02
B
=
0.95
C
=
0.87
D
=
0.80
E
=
0.72
Maturity
pattern has traditionally been assessed by a hip height based Frame Score
(FS)
(larger frame scores correlate to later
maturity (fattening) and often faster weight gain).
The NSW Agriculture Research, led by Mr Bill McKiernan, has found that cattle of the same age and weight, and similar fat depths, but with differing muscle scores, having different frame scores.
While further analysis is required, it appears 1 LMS is equivalent to 1 Frame Score.
In other words, well muscled animals may be earlier maturing than their frame score alone would suggest.
This indicates a similar maturity pattern would exist for the following 3 example animals:
LMS
FS
B
3
C
4
D
5
So
a Hereford with say “D” LMS and 4 FS, could be
similar in Maturity Pattern
to a Simmental with “C” LMS
and 5 FS or with “B” LMS and 6
FS.
(Simmental
Australia takes no responsibility for the accuracy of these reported results,
and
indemnifies NSW Agriculture if they are inaccurately reported).