The live animal carcass ultrasound used by Dr. Allen Williams and his associates is an automated, chute-side software system that captures images and calculates trait measurements on an objective basis. The traits determined by this ultrasound software are:

Back Fat Thickness Ribeye Shape Score Ribeye Area (REA)

Ribeye Area/Hundred Weight (REA/CWT) Percent Intramuscular Fat (% IMF) Tenderness Score

     On this and the following six pages, we have posted these measurements and scores (except Ribeye Area) for all of the bulls in this sale — by lot number. Dr. Williams considers the Ribeye Shape Score and the Tenderness Score to be the two most important traits because they are not affected much by environment or by the amount of feed consumed by the animal. In other words, these scores should be about the same whether the animal is being fed a hot feedlot ration or grazing poor quality forages with no supplement. Dr. Williams provided brief descriptions of these two traits below.

     Ribeye Shape Score: This score is indicative of desired shape of the ribeye muscle. It is correlated to gain efficiency, as well as to eventual yield grade, cutability, and % retail product. The score ranges from 0.0 to 1.0, with an acceptable score being 0.35 or greater. An ideal score is 0.50 or greater.

     Tenderness Score: This score is correlated to the actual Warner-Bratzler Shear Force in a carcass ribeye steak at the 12th rib location. This score ranges from 10-50, with 20 being very tender, 30 being slightly tender, 40 being slightly tough, and 50 being tough. An ideal score is 25 or less, but 29 or less is considered acceptable in bulls.

     Back Fat and Percent Intramuscular Fat are affected by environment and feed consumption. Unlike most seedstock programs, we do NOT feedlot test our bulls. Our bulls are either forage tested or fed a high-roughage ration designed for gains of only 2 pounds per day. If young bulls are pushed any harder, it negatively affects their soundness, fertility and longevity. With all this in mind, I asked Dr. Williams to shade in the scores and measurements that he would consider to be “top-sort”. For more help in using this information, feel free to call Dr. Allen Williams at 662-312-6826.