430 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



who establish and use the more or less elastic classification make no 

 systematic effort to adopt any fixed standards that shall be generally 

 accepted. It is highly desirable that definite classes and grades be estab- 

 lished for several reasons, among which are the following: 



First. That buyers and sellers on the market may transact business 

 on a uniform basis. 



Second. That country customers may not have to familiarize them- 

 selves with more than one set of standards to properly comprehend 

 market quotations. 



Third. That the press may publish uniform and reasonably consist- 

 ent live stock quotations. 



There may be but a slight degree of variation in the grades on oc- 

 casions when they closely approximate and merge into one another, but 

 even this should not work to the prejudice of such a classification. 



In general, all over the United States in the different markets, live 

 stock is classed according to its special adaptation, and each class is 

 graded largely on a basis of size, quality and flesh. A meat-producing 

 animal of high grade, whether cattle, sheep or swine, must have these 

 essential qualifications: Form blocky, the back broad and level; hind 

 quarters square and full on top and thick through the thighs; the shoul- 

 ders smooth and well set back into the body; the chest broad and full; 

 the neck small and short, with a head of medium size, graceful in out- 

 line, with prominent quiet eyes, broad forehead and large nostrils; the 

 body deep and full in outline, supported by short legs with strong fine 

 bone. A fattened animal of this class should have the framework of 

 the body smoothly covered with meat, so that it will feel firm yet mel- 

 low to the touch. The coat of hair should be fine and silky, with a 

 glisten which shows qualit5^ and, in case of cattle, the skin should feel 

 soft and elastic in the hands. 



A matured, well-fleshed animal meets the highest market demand 

 when it most nearly approaches the character just outlined. The more 

 deficient the animal is in conformation (as for example in spring of 

 rib, heart girth, length of leg, etc.) and quality, the lower it will grade 

 in its class. In a general way the grades in each class may be desig- 

 nated as prime, choice, good, medium and common. Market quotations 

 may not on all occasions make use of these terms, for the reason that 

 animals of some grades may be lacking. For instance, the market for 

 one day may offer no prime steers, choice being the best grade. Still, 

 it is rather difficult to draw the line between these two grades. Each 

 represents a superior product, and an animal might be prime on one 

 market and choice on another. Usually with meat stock within a cer- 

 tain class the highest grade animals weigh the heaviest, although this 

 is not always the case when differences of age are considered. 



Horses, cattle, sheep and swine are differently classified and graded. 

 The grades, however, of prime, choice, good, medium and common may 

 readily have an application to any kind of stock. The market classifi- 

 cations which follow fairly illustrate the practice in American markets. 

 Those of Chicago have the greatest application, as they affect by far the 

 largest trading community. Those of Indianapolis and Pittsburg are 

 given to illustrate the practice in other markets of importance. 



