BEEF CATTLE 387 



parts of a well-finished carcass. It will be found that the largest 

 deposits of fat are in the higher-priced cuts, showing that during 

 the fattening process these cuts gain in weight more rapidly than 

 the rest of the animal. 



502. Must be of good quality. Quality is a term used to 

 designate the character of the bone, skin, hair, and of the 

 meat itself, and is closely associated with the impression one 

 gets from handling the animal. The term good quality denotes 

 a soft coat of fine hair, a pliable, elastic skin of medium thick- 

 ness, clean, dense bone, and a firm, even covering of flesh. 

 Coarse, rough coats and thick hides are usually associated with 

 coarse bone and rough joints and are an indication of lack of 

 quality. The pliableness and mellowness of the hide can be 

 determined by taking between the thumb and forefinger a fold 

 of the skin lying over the ribs. 



503. The type the breeder and feeder desire. The breeder 

 and feeder should consider form and quality even more care- 

 fully than does the butcher, for they mean more to him. Cattle 

 of good beef type are more easily fattened than poorly formed 

 animals. The blocky form with small extremities and good 

 quality, so important from the butcher's standpoint, is also an 

 indication of early maturity, a characteristic of much importance 

 to the breeder and feeder. An extreme refinement of skin, 

 bone, and hair, which to the butcher indicates minimum waste 

 in these parts, indicates to the breeder or feeder a lack of hardi- 

 ness or ruggedness. Likewise the desire of the butcher to re- 

 duce the waste of the beef animal, if carried too far, would be 

 objectionable to the feeder because of reducing the digestive 

 capacity to a point where the animal could not consume enough 

 feed to be profitable. It is evident, then, that a good judge must 

 combine the points of excellence from the standpoint of the 

 butcher, the feeder, and the breeder, and must establish a 

 standard which will be equally fair to all three. 



504. How to judge beef cattle general view. The judge 

 should first take a general view of the animal from sufficient 

 distance to enable him to study its proportions and general 



