Ace the NCLCA Livestock Selection Challenge 2026 – Pick, Evaluate, and Elevate!

Volume is primarily evaluated from the side view because this perspective allows for a comprehensive assessment of an animal's body depth, length, and overall shape. When evaluating volume, the side view provides critical information about the animal's girth, muscling, and overall body proportion, which are important traits in livestock selection. This view enables the evaluator to see the full profile of the animal, assessing it against breed standards and determining if it possesses the needed attributes for production goals.

While evaluating from other angles, like the front or back, offers insights into width and structure, it is the side view that gives the clearest representation of volume. Evaluators can effectively judge body condition and the capacity of the animal to hold fat and muscle, which are key factors in livestock management and selection decisions. The overhead view, while useful for assessing the animal's shape and stance, does not provide sufficient detail regarding volume compared to the side perspective.