110 



TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



Sub-class baby beef. Choice and prime fat steers between 

 12 and 20 months of age and weighing from 800 to 1000 pounds 

 are styled "baby beef" or "fat yearlings" upon the market. 

 These are not separated from the fat steer class, but constitute 

 a sub-class within it. As pointed out in the preceding chapter, 

 the fat yearling is becoming the most prominent feature of the 

 cattle market. Beginning in 1904, fat yearlings have steadily 

 increased in numbers, this increase having been most marked 

 during the past few years. Most market reports now give 

 separate quotations for this sub-class. 



Fig. 25. Good Fat Steers. 



Source of the fat steer class. Cattle which classify as fat 

 steers come from the feed-lots of the cornbelt states. They are 

 steers which have been grain-fed. The class includes steers 

 that were bred and raised in the cornbelt, known as "native" 

 steers, and also branded steers bred and raised on western ranges 

 and then taken to cornbelt farms to be fattened. The latter 

 are sometimes called "fed Westerns." 



Western Range Cattle. 



Not so many years ago, western cattle were distinguished 

 by very long horns, long legs, thin flesh, narrow bodies, and 

 large, deep brands. This type WPS known as the "Texas long- 



