ANIMAL, PRODUCTION. 69 



nutrition work is outlined, the publications listed, and the method of distribut- 

 ing nutrition publications in foreign countries described in detail, the circular 

 as a whole being designed to meet the needs of foreign correspondents who wish 

 to know how the nutrition publications may be procured. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Market classes and grades of meat, L. D. Hall {UHnMs Sta. Bill. U7, pp. 

 lJfl-290, figs. 7.5; Abstract, pp. 15, figs. J,).— It is the author's purpose to describe 

 and illustrate the standard grades of beef, veal, mutton, and pork as they are 

 found in the Chicago wholesale trade, the bulletin being based on a study of 

 the industry at Chicago and in other cities which are supplied from the large 

 houses at the Union Stock Yards, Chicago. The various technical terms com- 

 monly used in wholesale meat quotations to designate the different classes 

 and cuts are defined and illustrated. In many cases special illustrations show 

 the methods of cutting meat. 



Classifications of meat are more or less flexible, but the one adopted and 

 the grades described are considered as standard or representative. Though the 

 relation of the animal to its meat products is not considered, this description 

 of the cuts should be of value to breeders and feeders who do not have oppor- 

 tunities to secure the information directly. The bulletin is a useful supple- 

 ment to the bulletins on market classes and grades of cattle, swine, and sheep 

 issued by the station and previously noted (E. S. R., 14, p. 597; 16, p. 905; 20, 

 p. 972). 



The general divisions in the beef trade are (1) carcass beef, (2) beef cuts, 

 and (3) cured beef products. The classes of carcass beef are steers, heifers, 

 cows, and bulls and stags. They differ not only in sex, but also in the uses 

 to which they are adapted. The grades within these classes are prime, choice, 

 good, medium, common, and canners, and are based on differences in form, 

 thickness, finish, quality, soundness, and weight. The terms " native," " west- 

 ern," and " Texas " beef each include various classes and grades of carcasses, 

 and refer to general differences in form, finish, and quality. The terms " year- 

 lings," " distillers," " butcher," and " kosher " also include various classes and 

 grades of beef, and merely indicate characteristic features of carcass beef used 

 by certain branches of the trade. " Shipping beef " refers to that sent to 

 eastern cities and consists principally of steers, heifers, and cows of medium 

 to prime grades. Export beef consists largely of medium to prime steers. The 

 " straight cuts " of beef are loins, ribs, rounds, chucks, plates, flanks, and 

 shanks. The grades of beef cuts are No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and strippers. The 

 grade of a beef cut depends upon its thickness, covering, quality, and weight. 

 Cured beef products are classified as (1) barreled, (2) smoked, and (3) canned 

 beef. Barreled beef is graded as extra India mess, extra plate, regular plate, 

 packet, common plate, rolled boneless, prime mess, extra mess, rump but, 

 and mess chuck beef, beef hams, and Scotch buttocks. Smoked beef consists 

 of dried beef hams, dried beef clods, and smoked brisket beef. Canned beef 

 consists principally of chipped beef, beef loaf, corned and roast beef. 



The divisions of the veal trade are (1) carcass veal, and (2) veal cuts. 

 The grades of carcass veal are choice, good, medium, light, and heavy. The 

 grade of a veal carcass depends upon its form, quality, finish, and weight. 

 The terms " native " and " western " veal each include several grades of calves, 

 and refer to general differences in form, quality, and finish. The regular veal 

 cuts are saddles and racks. They are graded as choice, good, medium, and 

 common, according to the same factors as carcass veal. Subdivisions of the reg- 

 ular cuts are made in some markets and similarly graded. 



