Frame score
A number, usually from 1 to 9, describing a beef animal's skeletal size from its hip height and age.
Also: frame size
Frame score describes how big an animal's skeleton is, worked out from its hip height and age using tables published by beef breed groups. Scores usually run from 1, very small, to 9, very large, with most commercial cattle in the middle. Frame score helps predict how heavy an animal will be when finished, and lets ranchers match cattle to their land: large-framed cattle need more feed, while smaller frames may suit poorer grazing. It is measured at the hips with a measuring stick. It is different from height at the withers, which is how breed sizes in this guide are given.