Frame Score
What are frame scores?
Frame scores are used to describe the skeletal size of cattle. Most animals should maintain the same frame score throughout their life, while their actual height will increase with age.
No one frame size for an animal will be best for all feed resources, breeding systems, and markets. Long-term economic return should determine the optimum frame-size range within a given set of resources, breeding system, and market specifications.
How to get Frame Scores
Step 1: Collect hip heights. Ideally, this is done during weaning or yearling age when other data is being collected on the calves. Hip heights can also be collected on mature animals.
Collect at weaning
Take measurements in inches directly over the hook bone while animals are in a chute. Make sure the animal is standing up straight and head is in a normal position.
Step 2: Submit hip heights to AHIR® using AAA Login, Association Excel spreadsheets, AIMs or paper forms.
Step 3: Once the data is submitted to the Association, an adjusted height and frame score can be found on the weaning or yearling AHIR® Report.
Note: Hip heights are adjusted to production end points at 205 days and 365 days (within BIF ranges currently used for adjusted weights.)
Click the appropriate accordions below to determine frame score.
Frame Score |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age in
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
5 |
33.5 |
35.5 |
37.5 |
39.5 |
41.6 |
43.6 |
45.6 |
47.7 |
49.7 |
|
6 |
34.8 |
36.8 |
38.8 |
40.8 |
42.9 |
44.9 |
46.9 |
48.9 |
51.0 |
|
7 |
36.0 |
38.0 |
40.0 |
42.1 |
44.1 |
46.1 |
48.1 |
50.1 |
52.2 |
|
8 |
37.2 |
39.2 |
41.2 |
43.2 |
45.2 |
47.2 |
49.3 |
51.3 |
53.3 |
|
9 |
38.2 |
40.2 |
42.3 |
44.3 |
46.3 |
48.3 |
50.3 |
52.3 |
54.3 |
|
10 |
39.2 |
41.2 |
43.3 |
45.3 |
47.3 |
49.3 |
51.3 |
53.3 |
55.3 |
|
11 |
40.2 |
42.2 |
44.2 |
46.2 |
48.2 |
50.2 |
52.2 |
54.2 |
56.2 |
|
12 |
41.0 |
43.3 |
45.0 |
47.0 |
49.0 |
51.0 |
53.0 |
55.0 |
57.0 |
|
13 |
41.8 |
43.8 |
45.8 |
47.8 |
49.8 |
51.8 |
53.8 |
55.8 |
57.7 |
|
14 |
42.5 |
44.5 |
46.5 |
48.5 |
50.4 |
52.4 |
54.4 |
56.4 |
58.4 |
|
15 |
43.1 |
45.1 |
47.1 |
49.1 |
51.1 |
53.0 |
55.0 |
57.0 |
59.0 |
|
16 |
43.6 |
45.6 |
47.6 |
49.6 |
51.6 |
53.6 |
55.6 |
57.5 |
59.5 |
|
17 |
44.1 |
46.1 |
48.1 |
50.1 |
52.0 |
54.0 |
56.0 |
58.0 |
60.0 |
|
18 |
44.5 |
46.5 |
48.5 |
50.5 |
52.4 |
54.4 |
56.4 |
58.4 |
60.3 |
|
19 |
44.9 |
46.8 |
48.8 |
50.8 |
52.7 |
54.7 |
56.7 |
58.7 |
60.6 |
|
20 |
45.1 |
47.1 |
49.1 |
51.0 |
53.0 |
55.0 |
56.9 |
58.9 |
60.9 |
|
21 |
45.3 |
47.3 |
49.2 |
51.2 |
53.2 |
55.1 |
57.1 |
59.1 |
61.0 |
The following equation should only be used for bulls between the ages of 5 and 21 months:
Frame Score = -11.548 + (0.4878 × Ht.) − (0.0289 × Age) + (0.00001947 × Age × Age ) + (0.0000334 × Ht. × Age), where Age = days of age.
Frame Score |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age in
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
|
5 |
33.1 |
35.1 |
37.2 |
39.3 |
41.3 |
43.4 |
45.5 |
47.5 |
49.6 |
|
6 |
34.1 |
36.2 |
38.2 |
40.3 |
42.3 |
44.4 |
46.5 |
48.5 |
50.6 |
|
7 |
35.1 |
37.1 |
39.2 |
41.2 |
43.3 |
45.3 |
47.4 |
49.4 |
51.5 |
|
8 |
36.0 |
38.0 |
40.1 |
42.1 |
44.1 |
46.2 |
48.2 |
50.2 |
52.3 |
|
9 |
36.8 |
38.9 |
40.9 |
42.9 |
44.9 |
47.0 |
49.0 |
51.0 |
53.0 |
|
10 |
37.6 |
39.6 |
41.6 |
43.7 |
45.7 |
47.7 |
49.7 |
51.7 |
53.8 |
|
11 |
38.3 |
40.3 |
42.3 |
44.3 |
46.4 |
48.4 |
50.4 |
52.4 |
54.4 |
|
12 |
39.0 |
41.0 |
43.0 |
45.0 |
47.0 |
49.0 |
51.0 |
53.0 |
55.0 |
|
13 |
39.6 |
41.6 |
43.6 |
45.5 |
47.5 |
49.5 |
51.5 |
53.5 |
55.5 |
|
14 |
40.1 |
42.1 |
44.1 |
46.1 |
48.0 |
50.0 |
52.0 |
54.0 |
56.0 |
|
15 |
40.6 |
42.6 |
44.5 |
46.5 |
48.5 |
50.5 |
52.4 |
54.4 |
56.4 |
|
16 |
41.0 |
43.0 |
44.9 |
46.9 |
48.9 |
50.8 |
52.8 |
54.8 |
56.7 |
|
17 |
41.4 |
43.3 |
45.3 |
47.2 |
49.2 |
51.1 |
53.1 |
55.1 |
57.0 |
|
18 |
41.7 |
43.6 |
45.6 |
47.5 |
49.5 |
51.4 |
53.4 |
55.3 |
57.3 |
|
19 |
41.9 |
43.9 |
45.8 |
47.7 |
49.7 |
51.6 |
53.6 |
55.5 |
57.4 |
|
20 |
42.1 |
44.1 |
46.0 |
47.9 |
49.8 |
51.8 |
53.7 |
55.6 |
57.6 |
|
21 |
42.3 |
44.2 |
46.1 |
48.0 |
50.0 |
51.9 |
53.8 |
55.7 |
57.7 |
The following equation should only be used for heifers between the ages of 5 and 21 months:
Frame Score = -11.7086 + (0.4723 × Ht.) − (0.0239 × Age) + (0.0000146 × Age × Age ) + (0.0000759 × Ht. × Age), where Age = days of age.
Frame Score |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age in
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
|
24 |
46.4 |
48.3 |
50.3 |
52.3 |
53.9 |
56.0 |
58.0 |
60.0 |
62.0 |
64.0 |
66.0 |
|
30 |
47.3 |
49.3 |
51.3 |
53.2 |
54.9 |
57.0 |
59.0 |
61.0 |
63.0 |
65.0 |
67.0 |
|
36 |
48.0 |
50.0 |
51.9 |
53.8 |
55.5 |
57.5 |
59.5 |
61.5 |
63.5 |
65.5 |
67.4 |
|
48 |
48.5 |
50.4 |
52.3 |
54.1 |
55.9 |
58.0 |
60.0 |
62.0 |
63.9 |
65.8 |
67.7 |
Frame Score |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age in
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
|
24 |
43.1 |
45.0 |
46.9 |
48.8 |
50.7 |
52.5 |
54.5 |
56.4 |
58.2 |
60.1 |
62.0 |
|
30 |
43.8 |
45.8 |
47.5 |
49.4 |
51.3 |
53.1 |
55.1 |
57.0 |
58.9 |
60.8 |
62.5 |
|
36 |
44.2 |
46.1 |
48.0 |
49.8 |
51.8 |
53.6 |
55.5 |
57.2 |
59.2 |
61.0 |
62.8 |
|
48 |
44.6 |
46.5 |
48.2 |
50.0 |
52.0 |
53.9 |
55.8 |
57.5 |
59.4 |
61.2 |
63.0 |
FRAME SCORE FAQs
There are several factors that can contribute to a difference in frame score and actual performance including:
- Animals that mature earlier or later compared with average animals.
- Environmental factors can alter an animal's growth performance.
- Nutritional level is a major factor. Cattle that do not receive adequate nutrition will be below average in growth rate, while cattle fed extremely high levels will grow faster.
No one frame size for an animal will be best for all feed resources, breeding systems, and markets. Long-term economic return should determine the optimum frame-size range within a given set of resources, breeding system, and market specifications.
When selecting genetics to use in your herd, the yearling height (YH) and mature height (MH) EPDs are more informative than a frame score. Like scrotal circumference measurement or ultrasound data, the frame score describes that individual animal’s performance, but an EPD is a more robust number that accounts for environmental differences and includes pedigree and genomics alongside the individual performance.
