judge Brahman cattle - V8 Ranch

Judging Brahman Cattle
By Rachel Cutrer & Jim Williams, V8 Ranch
When asked to judge Brahman cattle, many judges
experience some type of hesitation for fear that they are
not comfortable in evaluating this unique and noble breed
of cattle. However, often times, after a little practice,
individuals fi nd that judging Brahman cattle is really no
diff erent than judging any type of beef cattle. Initially,
judges should look at the typical beef industry traits
of structure, muscle, balance, size, and masculine and
feminine characteristics that are evaluated in all breeds.
From there, judges should take notice of breed specifi c traits
to use as descriptions and in making their fi nal decisions.
THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
Brahman breeders worldwide base use guidelines called
“Th e Standard of Excellence” to help shape their overall
image of what the ideal Brahman looks like. Th is standard
is a guideline or score sheet that outlines diff erent traits
on a weighted system of importance. Ideally, the perfect
animal would have a score of 100 when the fi nal assessment
is done. Th e Standard of Excellence was created by the
American Brahman Breeders Association in 1924. Th rough
the years, the standards have been modifi ed slightly to fi t
industry changes but by and large, remain the same as what
was originally established by the breed’s forefathers. In the
United States, no judges actually use this scorecard in the
ring while selecting their champions. However, in some
foreign counties, the scorecard is still used by some judges
who complete a scorecard on each animal. Th ese broad
guidelines help identify the key areas in Brahman cattle
selection.
“Th e Standard of Excellence” Brahman Bull and Female,
courtesy American Brahman Breeders Association
Th e Standard of Excellence is broken into four categories:
general appearance, conformation, breed character, and
disposition.
Conformation makes up over half of the points in the
Standard of Excellence, just as conformation is one of the
most important criteria in judging any beef breed. Th e ideal
Brahman is structurally correct with a smooth, broad top,
wide chest, and deep body. It is balanced, bold sprung, long
bodied, and deep bodied. Brahmans exhibit a great deal of
natural muscling. Th e hindquarters are long, wide at the
pens, and may appear a bit more slightly rounded at the tail
head when compared to Bos taurus breeds. However, today’s
modern Brahman cattle are usually extremely level topped,
and heavy muscled, so any cattle with steep rump structures
would be cause for serious discrimination.
Breed character and general appearance each count
roughly ¼ of the 100 total points. General appearance
refers to the overall size, frame, and balance of the animal.
Brahman cattle are generally long bodied, deep bodied,
heavy boned, and well balanced. Th ey should have a
straight back with a slightly rounded rump.
Breed character addresses color, hump size, hump
placement, and sex character. Color is very important in
breed character. Brahman cattle are colored grey or red with
varying shades of dominance. Th e nose, hooves, switch, and
horns should be black, and this is a requirement for breed
registration. Brahman cattle will also have a longer dewlap
compared to other breeds. Th e hump should be of ample
size and located directly on top of the shoulders. Th e sheath
and navel will be somewhat looser than Bos taurus cattle but
should still be medium size and tightly attached. Th e tail
will be moderately long and must have a black switch.

Finally, disposition counts
for 6 points, and the ideal
Brahman should be alert but
docile in disposition.
NOTICING BREED TYPE DIFFERENCES
While one can see that the
overwhelming traits for judging
Brahman cattle are the same
regardless of judging any beef
breed, experienced Brahman
judges are able to notice and
sort out distinct diff erences in
breed type. Th ese special breed
characteristics are important
to Brahman breeders in the
United States, and especially
around the world. By noting
diff erences in these breed
characteristics, judges can be
confi dent in their both their
selection and description of
this majestic breed of cattle.
It is important to remember
that breed character counts
for nearly one-quarter of the
Standard of Excellence, so it
should be considered in every
judgement.
PIGMENTATION / COLOR
Brahman cattle can come
in a variety of colors, many of
which are perfectly acceptable.
Th e Standard of Excellence
describes the colors as “Grey
or red of varying shades of
predominance.” Many larger
shows off er separate breed
divisions for Grey and Red
Brahman cattle. Grey cattle
can range in color from solid
white, light grey, dark grey,
red tinged, “blue”, exhibit a
snowfl ake pattern, and even be solid black in color. Red
Brahmans may be cherry red, dark red, varying shades of
red, speckled, red tinged, have varying shades of red to
black, and more. All of these are acceptable color patterns
for registry in the ABBA.
While the color will diff er between each individual
animal — and one is not necessarily better than the
other — there are three certain areas that are immediate
Brahman cattle (both red and grey) should have black pigment in four key areas: their nose,
hooves, tail switch, and horns (if horns are present). Judges should evaluate each of these
areas to make sure the animal meets breed characteristic traits in these areas. Red Brahman
image courtesy Dinah Weil, HK Cattle.
disqualifi cation and should be avoided under all
circumstances:
• Brindle coloring
• Gruella coloring. A gruella calf may appear mousy or
pinkish in color, but will almost always be recognized by a
pink or brown nose, light switch, and lack of pigmentation.
• True white or albino coloring. Th ese animals would have no
pigment anywhere on their body.
It is also very important to take notice of black pigment
that in four key areas on the body. All Brahman cattle

should have solid black noses, hooves, tail switch, and
horn. Judges should pay careful attention to look for the
black coloring in these areas. Animals lacking pigment
in one of these areas are still accepted for registration,
however is pigment is lacking in all of these areas , the
animal cannot be registered. For example, an animal may
have a black nose, black horns, black hooves, but have a
white tail. While this is certainly not ideal, and the animal
would most likely never be shown due to breed character
concerns, it could still be registered in the association
where hopefully it would be mated to better pigmented
animals to correct the problem for future off spring.
Some Brahman cattle may have black pigment on the
tips of their ears and/or reproductive organs. Pigment in
these areas is not a requirement, but a personal preference
amongst breeders. For example, Australian breeders
may prefer Brahman cattle who are solid white in their
appearance. South American breeders, who often have
herds of both red and grey cattle, might prefer a darker
pigmented animal because of the diversity in breeding
options. Noticing the black tipped pigmentation is a way
to predict how the animal will pass on their color to their
off spring. For example, Brahmans with black tipped ears,
and black pigment on their reproductive organs can be
bred either red or gray — meaning they produce a grey calf
when bred to a grey animal, or a red calf when bred to a
red animal. Th e black pigmentation off ers some diversity
in breeding choices.
Amongst Red Brahman breeders, a deep, dark cherry red
is generally considered more desirable breed character than
the lighter pigmented or “pink” color. In ABBA approved
shows, there is a “color committee” which determines
whether animals display appropriate color to be classifi ed
as red or grey. For animals in question, visual appraisal
+JDH Sir Avery Manso 159/6, a herd sire at V8 Ranch, is
one of the cleanest sheathed bulls in the breed. He also exhibits
a typical grey color.
is fi rst used and if needed, the committee refers to the
animals pedigree to make their classifi cation.
Judges should also keep an eye out for what breeders
refer to as “split noses”. Th is would be used to describe
an animal whose nose is half black and half pink. Th e
pigmentation is usually split down the middle, with the
black pigment being at the top and then fading to a pink
color. Although not a disqualifi cation, this should be a
concern and should defi nitely be mentioned in the judges
oral reasons.
SHEATHS & NAVELS
Th e sheath and navel should be medium sized and
closely attached. Judges should expect a slight bit more
skin in this area when compared to Bos taurus cattle.
Unfortunately, many judges are not familiar with
Brahman cattle and think that all
Brahmans have long sheaths and
excessive underlines. However,
clean underlines and sheaths
are very important to Brahman
breeders. Just as in any breed,
excessively long sheaths or navels
Banana Horns
are objectionable.
HEAD, EARS, AND HORNS
Just as with any breed, the sex
of the animal should be clearly
expressed in the head. Bulls
should be masculine and females
feminine. Th e nostrils must
be black, and lips dark. Most
Brahmans are horned, however
there is an increasing trend
towards polled Brahmans.
Brahmans may be
shown either with horns,
or dehorned.
+Miss V8 797/6, an Avery daughter, also displays a very clean
underline. Th is female is also scurred, shown by her visible
horns.

In Brahman shows, you will fi nd cattle shown both
with horns, and dehorned. Both are acceptable. If horns
are present, they should be set wide at the base, and black
in color. Animals who are scurred (and not surgically
dehorned) will display a smaller horn, but the horn should
be loose and not attached to the skull. Animals who are
polled will often times exhibit a distinct polled head shape,
which may be more rounded over the skull.
In certain bloodlines of Red Brahman, the head may
appear to be larger, more rounded over the skull, and the
animal may have ears that are longer and more curved
at the tips. Th is is due to the Gir infl uence that was used
in building the original foundation animals of the Red
Brahman breed. Th e rounded head shape and longer ears
is also acceptable, and more commonly seen in red cattle
than in grey cattle.
DEWLAP & HIDE
Many judges may be thrown off temporarily by the
abundance of skin and loose hide on a Brahman. It is
important to know that this appearance is part of the
breeds well known heat tolerant trait and environmental
adaptation. Th e hide of a Brahman will be densely covered
with hair that is oily to the touch. Often times after petting
a Brahman you will notice the oily residue left on your
hands. Brahman cattle secrete this oily substance from
their skin to aid in cooling their body during extreme heat.
Th at it is why breeders prefer a more loose-hided animal…
because the more skin the animal has, the better it is able
to cool itself, especially in the tropics.
Th e skin of a Brahman also moves very easily, and is
one of the few breeds that has the ability to twitch or
shake it’s own skin. Th is small twitching ability is another
environmental adaptation trait of the breed, and is used
in insect resistance. By quickly twitching their skin, a
Brahman is able to repel harmful insects and fl ies.
Th e dewlap (the skin under the neck and throat) should
be well developed with soft, pliable skin arranged in folds
from the lower jaw to chest fl oor. Bulls will exhibit a
heavier dewlap compared to females.
Judges should expect much more skin in general
compared to Bos taurus animals, however do not confuse
this skin with fat. Overly conditioned Brahman cattle
will still deposit extra fat in their brisket area, which is
undesirable in any breed.
TAIL
A Brahman’s tail will be moderately long, and generally
longer in length than other breeds. In some cases, the tail
switch of a mature bull or cow may even drag the ground.
Th ere is no preference on tail shape or length, however it
is very important to note the black tail switch, which is a
Miss V8 100/7, the 2010 National Champion Grey Female,
displays an ideal Brahman female hump. It is of adequate
size, oval shaped, feminine, and properly positioned.
Mr. V8 915/5 and BB Stingray display very desirable humps
for a Brahman bull. Th e hump is large, masculine, and
promiment. Th e hump is also placed directly over the point
of the shoulder. Stingray photo courtesy Kevin Bryant, Bryant
Red Brahmans.

equirement. Some foreign breeders prefer longer tails, as
they feel it is an indication of the future growth potential
of an animal.
HUMP
Th e hump is one of the biggest areas that tends that
makes breeders think judging Brahman cattle is so diff erent
compared to other breeds. In reality, it is not that diff erent.
In the Standard of Excellence, the hump characteristics
are only worth 2 out of the possible 100 points. So, while
overall judgements should not focus or rely largely on the
hump, diff erences should be noticed and acknowledged.
In Latin America, especially, the hump and its placement
are of utmost importance.
Hump size and placement are the two most important
things to look at when judging Brahman cattle. First,
the hump should be located directly over the top of the
shoulder. It should not be too high on the neck and should
stand upright, without leaning to the side. Th e hump
should blend in naturally with the body and be connected
in a smooth fashion.
A Brahman bull should have a hump that is of moderate
to large size, and in fact, many international breeders
subscribe to the thinking of “the bigger the better.” A
bull’s hump should somewhat resemble a bean in shape
and extend backwards.
For Brahman females, the hump should be smaller (yet
not too small) and more refi ned compared to a bull. It
should still be of moderate size, but not nearly as large as a
bull. A female hump should be more oval in shape and aid
in the overall feminine appearance. A females hump should
be refi ned, compared to a bull’s hump which would be
more course and masculine.
BRAND IDENTIFICATION
Brahman cattle are required to display a permanent
fi re brand in order to be registered. Th is requirement
includes both the ranch’s holding brand (V8) as well as
an individual identifi cation number (287/5). Diff erent
breeders use diff erent numbering systems. Some brand
on both sides, others only on one side. All are acceptable.
However, if judging a show and you see a Brahman animal
that is not branded anywhere on its body, this animal
should be placed last, and reported to the American
Brahman Breeders Association, because to be shown, the
ABBA show rules state that “all cattle must be branded.”
FITTING
Brahman cattle are short haired American breeds. Th ey
are shown with very few fi tting products other than show
sheen or light oil. Th e hair should be brushed down, and
should be as slick as possible. Th e tail should hang in its
natural state, and neatly combed (not glued).
TERMINOLOGY
Every breed of cattle has a certain lingo or jargon that
is commonly accepted by breeders, and Brahman is no
exception. Th e following terms are commonly used
amongst breeders:
Blue or blue tinged – Refers to the animals hide color.
A blue animal will be very dark grey, almost black.
Red Tinged – A primarily grey animal with shades of
red, usually over their top line, head and shoulders, or
hindquarter. To be a true “red tinged” animal, they must
have dark black pigmentation on their ears. Also, a red
tinged animal may have one or more red spots on their
body. Mexican breeders do not like red tinge, animals with
red spots, or speckles on an animal.
Snowfl ake – An animal who is very dark pigmented,
whose hair coat expresses random specks or bursts of grey
coloring, creating a ‘snowfl ake’ like pattern typically over
their hindquarter.
Speckled – Brahmans with speckled hide color are ones
that exhibit numerous spots on their hide. Th is is more
commonly seen in red cattle who may have spots of white
and red. Dark pigmented grey animals will also sometimes
have speckled necks.
Gruella – An animal with a tan, roan, brindle, mousy
hide color that lacks pigment in the areas of nose, tail
switch, and hooves. Th is animal is extremely undesirable
and not eligible to be registered in the ABBA. If by chance
a gruella is presented at a show, it should be placed last.
SPELLING OF GREY
While the word grey can be spelled either ‘gray’ or
‘grey’ in the dictionary, it should be spelled “grey” when
describing a color of Brahman cattle, according to the
ABBA Standard of Excellence.
CONCLUSION
Brahman is one of the most signifi cant beef breeds
on a worldwide level. Th e breed is the #1 beef breed for
effi ciency, hybrid vigor, and environmental adaptability.
Th e breeds infl uence is seen throughout herds in North
America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia, and is
extremely useful in commercial crossbreeding. Th erefore, a
knowledge of modern Brahman breed types is useful for all
cattlemen.
At V8 Ranch, we are fortunate to have three family
members on the ABBA approved judges list. Th rough
strict selection and culling, we are proud to be breeders of
some of the worlds fi nest American Brahman cattle. For
information on our ranch, visit www.v8ranch.com. We
also recommend the website www.livestockjudging.com,
which features web based practice judging classes fi lmed at
V8 Ranch. ©V8Ranch, 2012.

Descriptive Color Examples
+Miss V8 143/6, the 2005 National Champion Grey Female,
is a good visual of a female that is “red-tinged” including the
black tips.
Mr. V8 918/6, can be described as a “blue” bull, however he
does not have black pigment on his tips. When he was born, he
was born white and changed to a blue color as he matured.
“Red Tinged” bull with black tips. Miss V8 495/5, aff ectionately nicknamed “Rose” on the ranch,
is a red tinged female. Because of her pigment she can be bred
to produce either red or grey off spring.
Speckled Coloring on Neck, Courtesy Oden Ranch
Snowfl akes Pattern on Hindquarter

Why is Livestock Judging Important?
“Th e day may come when the art of breeding cattle
can be automated, but today, the eye of the master
still plays an important role in pedigreed livestock.”
—Jim Williams, 1988
Since 1944, V8 Ranch has been owned and operated by people who make their living in the cattle industry. Old, practical
methods are blended with modern management techniques to produce American Brahmans that perform in the pasture,
show ring, and beef marketplace. V8 Ranch is proud to be one of the oldest Brahman herds in the United States, and has
focused on Brahman breeding for nearly 70 years. Performance and productivity are the foundations of our breeding
program. As a result, V8 genetics are known as a dominant bloodline for improving any breeding program.
V8 Ranch is positioned to grow, develop and adapt to a constantly changing industry. Th rough selection, highly planned
matings, and proven management techniques, we continue to improve our cattle with each generation. Females are chosen
by strict guidelines that give equal importance to pedigree, progeny performance and reproductive traits. Bulls must be
structurally sound with an abundance of muscle for optimum and realistic growth, a level smooth loin and topline, desirable
sheath, and Brahman breed character. We utilize carcass ultrasound and genetic testing to provide further information on
our cattle and to off er as much performance data as possible to our clients.
Only quality breeds quality. Using V8 genetics will improve your herd in one generation. We invite you to visit the ranch
and ride through the pastures, where you’ll see some of the fi nest Brahman cattle in the world. Breeding age bulls and
replacement females are available for sale private treaty year round. Semen is also available on many of our leading herd sires.
For more information or to schedule a ranch visit...
Call 979-657-2587 or E-mail office@v8ranch.com
A member of our family will be happy to show you around at any time.
Sloan and Mollie Williams, Owners
979-532-2959 or 979-533-0505
A Product of the USA
PO Box 338 • Boling, TX 77420
www.v8ranch.com • offi ce@v8ranch.com
Offi ce: 979-657-2587 • Fax: 979-657-3223
Jim and Luann Williams
979-657-2587 or 979-533-1279
Brandon and Rachel Cutrer
601-466-7536