512 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



feeders not only to plan their operations more intelligently but to 

 regulate the movement of their stock to market. 



An exhaustive study has been made of the history of the develop- 

 ment of live-stock marketing in the United States. Information 

 which will be of great value from a historical viewpoint has been 

 assembled. This information is being prepared for publication in 

 Yearbook articles on the cattle and swine industry. 



Because of numerous complaints received from producers in the 

 Southeastern States of unfair discrimination on the part of local 

 slaughterers in the prices paid for soft or oily hogs as compared 

 with prices paid for firm hogs, the division made an investigation 

 to determine the facts. It was found that there was a lack of infor- 

 mation with regard to the true market values of hogs which might 

 be corrected by the establishment of a market-reporting service in 

 this section. Flans for such a service are being siven consideration. 



Particular attention has been given during the past year to per- 

 fecting the market classes and grades for live stock and dressed 

 meats. The development of these standards has been carried on in 

 connection with the market-reporting service on live stock and dressed 

 meats which was begun early in 1917, the tentative grades being used 

 as the basis for the market reports. These standards have been 

 thoroughly tested by the bureau and have been subjected to inten- 

 sive study with a view to eliminating any weak features. Numer- 

 ous conferences have been held with producers and members of the 

 trade, and suggestions and recommendations have been invited in 

 order that the standards as finally promulgated might meet the needs 

 of the trade. The work of preparing these standards has now been 

 completed. Illustrated bulletins describing the various classes and 

 grades and defining terms are in course of preparation. Manuscript 

 for a bulletin on Market Classes and Grades of Dressed Beef has 

 been submitted for publication and similar bulletins will be sub- 

 mitted at an early date covering cattle, hogs, veal, lamb, and mutton, 

 and pork carcasses and cuts and miscellaneous meat products. When 

 available for public distribution these bulletins will enhance the 

 value of the market news service, as the information embodied 

 therein will greatly facilitate the interpretation of the market reports. 



Progress has been made toward the adoption of standard containers 

 for shipping meat and meat products. Educational work has been 

 carried on by means of exhibits at the International Live Stock 

 Show in Chicago and the various State fairs, and charts have been 

 prepared for distribution which illustrate standard methods of cut- 

 ting carcasses of the various Ineat animals into wholesale and retail 

 cuts. 



Intensive studies have been carried on with regard to the costs 

 of marketing live stock. (This subject will be covered elsewhere in 

 this report under the title Costs of Marketing.) 



In connection with the research work on the costs of marketing 

 live stock and meat, arrangements were made for a series of slaugh- 

 tering and cutting tests at one of the slaughterhouses in Washington. 

 These tests furnished information with regard to the weight of the 

 carcasses and the weight of the edible and inedible by-products as 

 compared with the live weight of the animal, and also more detailed 

 information with regard to the various cuts in their relation to other 

 cuts and to the carcasses from which derived. 



