Animal Conformation

Conformation

The appearance or type, form, and shape of a live animal. How parts of the animal are put together.

Conformation Priorities in Animal Selection

• Muscularity- muscle mass, how much meat you get from the animal
• Capacity- how big the animal can grow
• Frame size- determines the overall size of the animal
• Condition- the ratio of fat to muscle
• Structure- how everything aligns
• Balance
• Udder- important in animals like dairy cows
• Sex character- differences in body structure based on male/female
• Breed character- differences in the characteristics belonging to each breed

Depending on what the animal is being judged for, different priorities will be used.

Ex. Market Hog Selection

• Structure/Design

• Muscle

• Finish

• Skeletal Size

• Animals evaluated from the

  • Top
  • Side
  • Rear

• Important to watch animals walk and move

Structural soundness

The physical condition of the skeletal structure, especially the feet and legs, of an animal

Considerations:

• Levelness of top and hip
• Angle to shoulder, pastern, hock
• Ease of movement

Skeletal size

Indicators:

• Length of body
• Length of the cannon bone
• Height
• Length of face and neck

Muscling

• The natural fleshing of an animal
• Inheritable trait
• Evaluated at the:
  • Hip and rump
  • Back
  • Shoulder

Finish

• The degree of fatness, also referred to as condition or leanness, in market animals
• Market animals need adequate quantity for meat quality
• Fat indicators
  • Jowls
  • Side
  • Muscle definition or lack thereof