evaluation of beef cattle condition results given by independent judges

Abstract The aim of the study is to compare the scores given to the condition of Charolais cows (the herd of Abauj Charolais Corp., Dicháza, Hungary, spring of 2011) (n=213, live weight: 695.6±73.18 kg, age: 5.9±2.06 years) before the grazing season by two independent conformation judges (person A and B). The scoring system (1-9 points) according to Whitman (1975) was used for evaluating the condition. The average condition scores given by the two judges were different only in the second decimal place (A: 5.76, B: 5.74 points). The median, modus, minimum and maximum values were equal, but the standard deviation was higher (although not significantly) in case of the B judge (A: 0.544, B: 0.610). By Pearson χ2 test it could be proved that the condition scores given by the two persons are statistically not independent (319.24, df: 9, p=0.0001), cause their results are highly similar. The value of Spearman correlation is r=0.76 (p=0.0001), which also indicates the similarity of the scores given by the two judges. These results may support spreading the practice of condition judgement further in Hungary.