Inspection Criteria at Society Sponsored Sales

(Revised October 2015)

MINIMUM HEIGHT WEIGHT AND SCROTUM DIMENSIONS

This document is published to help members select cattle of the right type and specification, for entry into prestigious sales, held under the auspices of the Society. It also sets out criteria for the Society’s Volunteer Inspectors to work to, which in turn, facilitates uniformity across all Society sales. Apart from meeting the minimum standards stated below, pedigree cattle should also conform to the Society’s Bylaws, number 1.1 of which states: -

“The definition of the breed’s characteristics is as follows: -
A long, large bodied beef animal with fine bones, double muscle, sloping rump and hidden hips, strong legs and correct mouth. Coat colour can be black, white, blue, or any combination of these colours that is acceptable to the Council.”

1. The ear tattoo should be clearly legible and the letters and numbers agree with the pedigrees. Animals born after 1 January 1998 require no tattoo, on condition that they have been double tagged, as per Ministry regulations

2. Animals must conform to minimum heights and weights specified by the Society’s Council. See over for the detailed charts

3. Teeth and jaws should be correct in terms of position and bone structure. A degree of latitude shall be allowed where an animal is cutting teeth. The Chief Inspectors decision is final, with regard to acceptable jaw and teeth configurations. Animals with mildly defective teeth or jaws will be marked in yellow and allowed to be sold through the ring, in catalogue order, with an accompanying rostrum announcement; ‘This animal has not fulfilled the Society inspection criteria in respect of jaws and teeth’. Where it is a veterinary decision that the animal be rejected then the animal shall be rejected in the normal way, with no appeal, marked in red and not be permitted to be sold through the ring.

4. The testicles and sheath shall be checked for correctness. Testicles should be of good conformation and consistency, with the epididymis showing definition. The minimum circumference of the scrotum between 10 and 24 months is shown overleaf. Animals over 24 months must have a minimum scrotal circumference of 33cm.

5. All animals must be in good, healthy condition and free from signs of infectious diseases, such as Viral Warts, Live Ring Worm etc. (A Veterinary certificate must accompany animals if previously treated, this treatment must have been carried out at least 14 days prior to the sale), Mange, New Forest Disease, Lice.

6. All animals should be able to walk correctly, on the day of inspection, with no genetic defects. The general mobility of the animal should be acceptable for practical use and not be detrimental to the breed’s reputation. Bulls with an exceptional conformation will be allowed a degree of latitude with regard to mobility

The Council of the British Blue Cattle Society would urge all potential vendors to adhere strictly to these notes when entering cattle into official sales and to seek advice, prior to the sale, if they are uncertain as to whether an animal will pass. This will avoid the disappointment of any of their cattle being rejected by the Inspectors.

Should any cattle be rejected, it is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure that the Lot Number is sprayed in red at the time of inspection. Such cattle may be sold privately from the pens, the sale going through the auctioneer’s books.

Rejected animals may not be sold through the pedigree or commercial ring at a Society sale

SAFETY
A Vendor must not enter for sale, any animal with a potentially dangerous temperament. The Society’s Inspectors have the right to demand the immediate removal, from the sale and the sale premises, of any animal, which, in their opinion, demonstrates a temperament, which could be dangerous to the public

  • All Animals Must Be Halter Trained, No Animal Shall Have Horns

  • It is a statutory requirement that any bull over the age of 12 months, sold through a public auction, shall have a ring in its nose

  • The objective of the Official Society Inspection is primarily in place to raise the breed standard and the inspection panel’s decision is intended as a purchasers guide only. Prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves as to the suitability of an animal for their particular requirements. By bidding for an animal the intended purchaser accepts the Societies and Auctioneers conditions of sale, the animal being theirs at the fall of the hammer.

  • 3 Month Rule – No calf, whether pedigree or commercial, under the age of 3 months will be accepted for either the show, or sale.

WEIGHT FOR AGE
Months Days Min Weight in Kgs  
    Bulls Heifers  
3 90 139 110 For Data Collection Purposes only
  100 139 110
  110 139 110
4 120 172 137
  130 172 137
  140 172 137
5 150 205 166
  160 205 166
  170 205 166
6 180 238 191
  190 238 191
  200 238 191
7 210 271 218
  220 271 218
  230 271 218
8 240 284 245
  250 284 245
  260 284 245
9 270 304 272
  280 304 272
  290 304 272
10 300 370 299  
  310 382 308  
  320 393 318  
11 330 404 327  
  340 415 337  
  350 426 346  
12 360 436 356  
  370 446 365  
  380 456 375  
13 390 465 384  
  400 474 394  
  410 483 400  
14 420 492 406  
  430 500 412  
  440 509 419  
15 450 517 424  
  460 525 429  
  470 533 437  
16 480 540 443  
  490 548 449  
  500 555 455  
17 510 562 462  
  520 569 469  
  530 576 475  
18 540 583 482  
  550 590 489  
  560 596 495  
19 570 603 502  
  580 609 509  
  590 615 515  
20 600 621 523  
  610 627 531  
  620 633 538  
21 630 639 547  
  640 645 552  
  650 650 563  
22 660 656 570  
  670 661 578  
  680 667 586  
23 690 672 594  
  700 677 601  
  710 682 609  
24 720 687 617  
  730 692 622 For Data Collection Purposes only
  740 697 627
25 750 702 632
  760 707 637
  770 712 642
26 780 717 647
  790 722 652
  800 727 657
27 810 732 662
  820 737 667
  830 742 672
28 840 747 677
  850 752 682
  860 757 687
29 870 762 692
  880 767 697
  890 772 702
30 900 777 707
Bulls over 24 months of age will pass inspection, provided that they are over 687 kg in weight.
Heifers over 24 months of age will pass inspection, provided that they are over 617 kg in weight.

HEIGHT FOR AGE
Months Days Min Height in cms
    Bulls Heifers  
3 90 104 101 For Data Collection Purposes Only
4 120 106 103
5 150 108 105
6 180 110 107
7 210 112 109
8 240 114 111
9 270 116 113
10 300 118 115  
11 330 119 116  
12 360 120 117  
13 390 121 118  
14 420 123 120  
15 450 124 121  
16 480 125 122  
17 510 127 124  
18 540 128 125  
19 570 129 126  
20 600 130 127  
21 630 131 128  
22 660 132 129  
23 690 133 130  
24 720 134 131  
25 750 135 132 For Data Collection Purposes Only
26 780 136 133
27 810 137 134
28 840 138 135
29 870 139 136
30 900 140 137
Bulls over 24 months of age will pass the inspection provided that they are 134cms or over
Heifers over 24 months of age will pass the inspection provided that they are131cms or over

MINIMUM SCROTAL CIRCUMFERENCE
Months Days cms

In addition to Circumference,
both testicles should be of
good conformation and consistency,
with the Epididymis showing definition.

Bulls over 24 months must have
a minimum circumference of 33cms
10 300 29
11 330 29
12 360 30
13 390 30
14 420 30
15 450 31
16 480 31
17 510 31
18 540 32
19 570 32
20 600 32
21 630 33
22 660 33
23 690 33
24 720 33

download detailed minimum heights and weights charts here