26 BUTCHER STOCK. 



to carry a high proportion of valuable cuts; and here too go> 

 those that are inclined to be slightly deficient in all respects. 



Inferior rough steers are the dregs of the class; they are 

 usually lacking in all respects, and particularly in quality, 

 being long-legged, slab-sided, and coarse throughout. They 

 are classed with beef cattle only when the supply of the bet- 

 ter grades is limited. Baby beef is prime or choice young 

 beef that has been finished for market at a very early age. 



Texas Cattle or Rangers are graded precisely as the 

 native beef steers. It is seldom, however, that prime grades 

 are found among them; and buyers discriminate more or less 

 against them because their flesh is softer, and the per cent, 

 of offal greater, due to the fact that they are only grass fat. 



Butcher Stock. 



Here the grades are the same as in Beef Cattle, so far 

 as differences between grades are concerned; but of course 

 none of the grades represent equal individual excellence to 

 the corresponding grades of beef cattle, for they are but 

 grades in a lower class. The very best of this class prime 

 heifers and cows sometimes sell for the same prices as beef 

 steers; selling, in fact, in the beef cattle class. This only 

 occurs when they are shipped in with steers and are rela- 

 tively few in number. Stags usually head the butcher stock 

 class; are graded as choice, good, and medium, and usually 

 command higher prices than any of the corresponding grades 

 of heifers, cows, or bulls. They are few in number. In both 

 heifers and cows four distinct grades, prime, choice, good, 

 and medium, are recognized ; the same distinctions prevail 

 between the grades as in beef cattle. Heifers always rank 

 above cows of corresponding grades. Bulls are classed as 

 choice, good, medium (or half fat), and bologna bulls. In air 

 butcher stock, no grades are given below medium; and heif- 

 ers, cows, or bulls, classed as medium and be sufficiently 

 good in quality and condition to allow of the whole carcass 

 being sold over the block as beef. The common or inferior 

 grades of Butcher Stock are graded as cutters and canners. 

 They are usually inferior in form, and so thin in flesh as to- 

 be unfit to sell over the block. Cutters practically correspond 1 



