GENERAL PROBLEMS IN BEEF PRODUCTION 461 



cumference at the paunch. On the other hand, Smith, Bliss, and Lee 

 concluded from data secured at the Nebraska Station 19 that a large girth 

 at the paunch was a better indication of a good feeder than a large heart 

 girth. In the Pennsylvania studies it was concluded that the length 

 from hip to buttock and the width at the thurls were good indexes 

 of gaining capacity. There was somewhat less correlation between gains 

 and depth of chest, width of fore flank, length of head, height at withers, 

 and width at shoulders. There appeared to be no marked correlation 

 between rate of gain and initial weight of steers of about the same age, 

 the width or height at rear flank, the height at the shoulders, the distance 

 from the chest to the ground, or the length from shoulder to buttock. 



719. Early maturity. The most common claim for superiority with the 

 beef breeds is that such animals mature earlier than others. Experienced 

 feeders know that only the blocky calf of beef conformation is suited for 

 early fattening as baby beef. Tho dairy steers grow rapidly and make 

 large daily gains, they do not become well-finished at as early an age. 



720. Yield of dressed carcass. Without question beef -bred steers car- 

 ried to the same degree of fatness yield a somewhat higher percentage of 

 dressed carcass than do scrubs or steers of the dairy breeds. However, 

 the condition, or degree of fatness of the animal is more important than 

 breed in determining the yield of dressed carcass. It is possible to 

 secure reasonably high percentages of dressed beef even from steers of 

 inferior breeding, if they are well-finished. There is more difference in 

 the appearance on foot in the feed lot and in the gains during fattening 

 between the well-bred steer and the mongrel, than there is in the car- 

 cass when the animals have been well fattened. 



According to Wentworth 20 the usual run of steers killed by the Chicago 

 packers will dress about 53 per ct., good to choice steers ranging from 

 56 to 59 per ct., and steers of extra good show type going from 59 to 63 

 per ct. The champion steer at the 1920 Fort Worth show dressed 67.48 

 per ct. and the world's record is on a spayed heifer killed at the Smith- 

 field Fat Stock Show in London, that dressed 76.75 per ct. Fat cows 

 dress about 56 per ct., and canners from 35 to 43 per ct. 



721. Proportion of valuable parts and of internal fat. The trials at 

 the various stations show that the well-finished steer of beef conformation 

 generally yields a somewhat higher percentage of loins and ribs, the 

 most valuable cuts, and less of the cheap parts than do mongrel or dairy 

 steers. This difference is less, however, than many believe. The small 

 difference usually found is due to the fact that the beef steer has a 

 broader back and fuller hind quarters than the native or dairy steer. 



There is a more marked difference between the beef -bred steers and 

 either scrubs or dairy steers in the distribution of fat in the body. In 

 the carcass of a well-bred beef steer more of the fat is laid on in the 

 muscular tissues and less is deposited about the internal organs, where its 



19 Nebr. Buls. 132, 151; and information to the authors. 

 ^Progressive Beef Cattle Raising, Armour and Co. 



