PROGRESSIVE BEEF CATTLE RAISING 



cows, 42-48 Ibs. ; branded cows, 43-55 Ibs.; native bulls, 

 70-85 Ibs.; branded bulls, 70-85 Ibs. 



Spready native steer hides are measured from brisket 

 to brisket as the hide is stretched flat ; that is, the measure- 

 ment corresponds to the girth. Spready native steer 

 hides are used for automobile, carriage and furniture 

 leather. Heavy and Light Native Steer hides are used 

 for harness and belting leather. Extreme Light Native 

 Steer hides are used for upper leathers and belting leather. 

 All branded steer hides are used for sole leather, as are 

 branded cows. Heavy Native Cows are used for harness, 

 automobile and furniture leather, while Light Native 

 Cow hides are used for case and bag leather, harness, 

 upper leather, and belting. 



There are many sex differences which develop in hides. 

 Cow hides are thicker through the hindquarter and lighter 

 in the forequarter, while bull hides are quite thin behind 

 and very thick over the shoulders. Steer hides are 

 intermediate, but are heavier behind than a bull's hide, 

 also being wider. Hides are thicker in winter than in 

 summer, but the shrinkage due to cure is greater in 

 summer than in winter hides. Without going into the 

 salt, summer hides will stand up only two days while 

 winter hides will stand up three days. With the large 

 packers, hides are graded as they go into the salt, but 

 with the smaller houses the grading is done as the hides 

 come out. 



While Texas hides usually make the heaviest sole 

 leather, they are at a great disadvantage due to the brands, 

 which -when tanned into sole leather wear out very rapidly. 

 Cattle without horns usually throw a heavier hide in 

 proportion to their weight, than do horned cattle. Bull 

 hides are heavier than steer hides, and steer hides are 

 heavier than cow hides. Among fat cattle, Herefords 

 and Aberdeen-Angus throw the heaviest hides, with 

 Holstein-Friesians a close third. It costs more to inspect 

 native hides due to the necessity of a thorough examina- 



Page Seventy-eight 



