Also, frame score or hip height can be related to the approximate weight of a calf when it achieves a given quality grade or attains a given amount of fat thickness. Height Measurement Frame score is a convenient way of describing the skeletal size of cattle. With appropriate height growth curves, most animals should maintain the same frame score throughout their life, while their actual height increases with age. This allows one frame score value to be used regardless of when the animal was evaluated. However, the frame score will change for animals that mature earlier or later compared with average animals.
Environmental factors can also alter an animal's growth performance.
Nutritional level is a major factor. Cattle that do not receive adequate nutrition will be below average in growth rate, while cattle fed extremely high levels will grow faster. With this information already recorded, time will be saved and confusion reduced. A list of the management codes follows the Calf Crop Record Work Sheet at the end of this document. Your local county Extension agent or a livestock specialist can input the information into the computer.