178 



BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



have lumps or rolls of fat, and the rump is also rough, then 

 the quality of carcass will be of inferior grade. Such a con- 

 dition should be easily observable. 



A scale of points for fat cattle is here given. This is made 

 somewhat brief, but covers the important features. 



A SCORE CARD FOR FAT CATTLE 



Scale of points 



Perfect 

 score 



Stu- 

 dent's 

 score 



Cor- 

 rected 

 score 



GENERAL APPEARANCE: 



SIZE AND WEIGHT, score according to age. Example: 



12 mos., 850 Ibs.; 30 mos., 1500 Ibs 6 



FORM, top and underline straight; broad, deep, com- 

 pact, low-set, not paunchy 10 



QUALITY, refined, as shown by fine bone; mellow, elas- 

 tic hide; soft, silky hair; clean cut head 10 



CONDITION, deep, even covering of firm, mellow flesh, 



free from patches and rolls 10 



HEAD AND NECK: 



MUZZLE, broad; nostrils large; face short 2 



EYES, large and placid; forehead broad 2 



EARS, of medium size and not coarse 1 



NECK, thick and short, neat at throat 2 



FORE QUARTERS: 



SHOULDERS, well placed, smoothly covered, nicely 



fitted to neck 5 



BRISKET, wide showing full breast, not much dewlap 2 



LEGS, straight, short, wide apart, shank fine 2 



BODY: 



CHEST, deep, wide; girth large 5 



BACK, broad, straight, thick and smoothly fleshed .... 8 



LOIN, thick, broad 10 



RIBS, long, well sprung, thickly and smoothly covered 8 

 FLANKS, full 2 



HIND QUARTERS: 



HIPS, well set in, and smooth 1 



RUMP, long, wide, not droopy, nor patchy; tail head 



smooth 4 



THIGHS, thick and full; twist plump 



LEGS, well placed, short, straight; shanks fine 



Total points 100 



In judging fat cattle, either by the score card or other- 

 wise, the general appearance should be first considered. As 

 one walks about the animal> he compares the size with what 

 he thinks it should be for the age, and notes the general form, 

 condition, and quality, features that have already been 



