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Like Simme says, getting a measurement is not easy. I have a tape that drops down from the top of my chute. It is attached to a piece of wood that can be slid to the proper location. I weigh and measure every animal at weaning. I do my best, but depending on how they are standing my measurements can change, This is proven by the fact that even cows over 5 years will vary by as much as an inch in either direction from year to year,
 
I have a graduated board on the inside of the off side of the chute. Easy to read when I squeeze. I think the height has been referred to as hip height a long time.
 
@simme excellent points on getting a FS - but, the measurement is taken across the hip bones. Here's a quick reference I found from AAA.

Frame Score

www.angus.org www.angus.org
I have a bar going down the opposite side of the chute with inches marked. We turn in hip measurements to ASA on all our cattle. It is not nearly as accurate as using a regular FS measuring tape - with the telescoping arm and bubble balance (I think I have two) but is much faster. Back in the days, you had to measure everything for sale. Heck, kids at a sale would take an animal out of it's stall and be measuring them if we left for any length of time. LOL
I agree with everyone's comments about needing some size to their bulls - but - I used to run mostly 7.5+ cows with an average weight of 1550# - I now run an average of maybe 6 FS with an average weight of 1550#. I cut their legs off and added depth of body. I LOVE the phenotype of my herd now. Big soggy easy keeping milking machines. Point being (was not trying to brag) - FS is just one measurement to be looking at. If you have small FS cows, yes, I can see needing more height on your bulls - but his body TYPE is more important.
 
Personally I prefer a 6 frame yearling and a 5 frame mature cow. Yes there are cattle that can do this. A 6 frame cow is too big to do what we want here.
 
W.B. said:
Personally I prefer a 6 frame yearling and a 5 frame mature cow. Yes there are cattle that can do this. A 6 frame cow is too big to do what we want here.
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You are dead on - not all cattle have the same physical, not sexual, maturity pattern. Like Bonsma, I prefer the quick early growth and then moderation. Curvebenders blow this out of the water.
 

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