36 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



provided width at this point is not due merely to prominent, open 

 shoulders which set the fore legs wide apart. The fore-rib, lying just 

 behind the shoulder, should not be flat, but should arch boldly so that 

 no flatness or depression exists immediately behind the shoulder. 

 Many beef animals present a hollowness or flatness of fore-rib which 

 detracts much from the desired smoothness and evenness of conforma- 

 tion, and reduces the chest capacity. Care should be taken to see 

 that the animal carries down deep and full at the front flanks just 

 behind the elbows. The butcher cares nothing for a beef animal's 

 constitution, but every intelligent feeder places great emphasis on the 

 depth and width of chest, which indicate to him that the steer will be 

 a good doer in the feed-lot. Briefly summing up these points, we may 

 say that the forequarters should be smoothly laid, smoothly and thick- 

 ly fleshed, and very wide and deep, showing no lack of constitution 

 anywhere. 



The front legs should be short and placed squarely under the 

 animal. They should come straight down, and the toes should point 

 straight forward. For reasons already given, the fore legs should be 

 set well apart. The arm should be wide and muscular at its attach- 

 ment to the shoulder. Refinement of bone and cleanness of joints are 

 evidences of quality, whereas rough, coarse animals have heavy joints 

 and big shank bones. 



The back carries great weight, and it is desirable that it be straight 

 and strong. When some people refer to the back they include the 

 entire top of the animal from shoulders to tail. Others mean the top 

 from shoulders to hips. The score card restricts the meaning of this 

 term to that portion of the top lying between the shoulders and the 

 last rib, which is some distance in front of the hip. In this description 

 we shall use the word in the score-card sense. The back furnishes one 

 of the high-priced cuts of beef and always receives critical attention in 

 judging. It is important, first of all, that the back be very wide in 

 order that it may carry the maximum amount of meat. Beef cattle 

 are never criticized for too much width in this part. Width is secured 

 when the ribs arch boldly from the spinal column; if the ribs are not 

 arched, the back must necessarily be narrow. 



Fully as important as the width of back is the depth of flesh which 

 covers this part. When touched with the fingers, great depth and 

 mellowness should be found. No mere beauty of outline or stylishness 

 of appearance can ever make up for lack of fleshing in a beef animal. 

 The flesh must be there. Dimplesj or ties, ^ rough spots, or uneven 

 patches of fat detract from the value because the carcass of such an 



'This refers to an adhesion of the hide to the backbone which prevents a cov- 

 ering of fat at that point, causing a depression or dimple known as a "tie." 



