Learning all about Frame Score in Beef Cattle is easy and something all beef cattle producers should be familiar with.
Frame score. Hip height converted to frame score is a linear measurement that helps cattle producers evaluates lean-to-fat ratio potential of an individual animal in a performance program. No one frame size will be best for all feed resources, breeding systems, and markets. Large-framed animals tend to be heavier at all weights, leaner, and later maturing. Small framed animals tend to be lighter, fatter, and earlier maturing. Frame scores can be monitored to maintain body size, fatness level, and maturing rate within the optimum ranges dictated by the resources, breeding system, and market specifications of a herd.
Frame score is a convenient way of describing the skeletal size of cattle. With appropriate height and growth curves, most animals should maintain the same frame score throughout their life, regardless of when they are evaluated. However, frame scores may change for animals that mature earlier or later than average for their breed.
The recommended site for hip height measurement is a point directly over the hooks. This measurement should be adjusted to a weaning age endpoint of 205 days and to yearling age endpoints of 365, 452 or 550 days. The same age range guidelines as for weaning and yearling weights should be used.
