ABSTRACT
Cattlemen interested in beef cattle selection programs often are confused about which linear measurements should be recorded, what value the measurements have, and what emphasis should be given to specific measurements. The utility of measuring weights and gains in beef cattle is obvious, but the potential utility of recording a variety of linear measurements is less obvious. The majority of literature on linear measurements is found in the area of growth/carcass trait estimation. The vast majority of previous linear measurement work in the area of reproduction has been done in regard to dystocia. Many linear measurements detect differences that have high visual impact, thus the extremes can be easily glorified or denounced in the advertising and promotion of seed stock. C. J. Brown et al. used a principal-component analysis of nine linear measurements and weight to obtain an objective description of different preyearling body shapes. Certain body measurements may be helpful in evaluating development of the skeletal frame.
