Weight
1,274578lbkg
- 70 in × 70 in × 78 in ÷ 300 (in inches) = 1,274 lb.
- Penn State says a tape is within 3% to 5% for cattle over 330 lb: 1,210 lb to 1,338 lb.
- A tape gives a guess. Weigh on a scale before you give any medicine by weight, and ask your vet.
How to measure
- Stand the animal square on level ground, relaxed, with its head in the normal place (Ontario's advice for horses).
- Heart girth: run the tape around the body just behind the front legs and shoulder blades. Pull it snug.
- Body length: from the point of the shoulder straight back to the pin bone. For horses, Arkansas and Ontario measure to the point of the buttock.
- Use inches, or switch to metric for centimeters.
The numbers we divide by
| Animal | Girth × girth × length ÷ |
|---|---|
| Cattle | 300 |
| Horse, grown | 330 |
| Horse, yearling | 301 |
| Horse, weanling | 280 |
| Pig | 400 |
| Sheep or goat | 300 |
In inches, for pounds. From Oregon State's 4-H weight sheet; Arkansas also uses 330 for horses. Oregon State's horse example divides by 300, not 330, which gives too much.
Questions
How do I weigh a cow with a tape?
Measure the heart girth, around the body just behind the front legs. Measure the body length, from the point of the shoulder to the pin bone. Then girth × girth × length ÷ 300 gives pounds.
How do I find a horse's weight?
Girth × girth × length ÷ 330, in inches and pounds. Use 301 for a yearling and 280 for a weanling. In centimeters and kilograms, divide by 11,900.
How do I weigh a pig with a tape?
Girth × girth × length ÷ 400. If the answer is under 150 lb, add 7 lb, says Oregon State.
How do I weigh a goat or sheep?
Girth × girth × length ÷ 300. On a sheep, press the wool down when you measure.
How close is a weight tape?
Penn State says within 3% to 5% for cattle over 330 lb, and 5% to 8% for calves of 110 to 330 lb. Weigh on a scale before giving medicine, and ask your vet.
Sources
- Oregon State University Extension 4-H, Weight CalculatorundatedThe tape formulas for cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses
- University of Arkansas Extension, Estimating Weight (horses)undatedHorses: the 330 formula and how to measure
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (OMAFRA), Estimating body weight for horsesNov 2010Horses in centimeters and kilograms: ÷ 11,900
- K-State Swine Day 2002, Using heart girth to determine weight in finishing pigs2002Finishing pigs from girth alone, within about 10 lb
- Penn State Extension, Monitoring Dairy Heifer GrowthDec 2025A cattle weight tape is within 3% to 5% over 330 lb