54 



Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



4. Thickness of outside fat. — This is referred to as the "finish." 

 Perfect finish consists of a smooth covering of firm white fat over the 

 entire carcass, with the greatest depth along the back, a white brittle 

 "kidney" of medium size, and a lining of flaky fat on the inner surface 

 of the ribs. The rounds and shanks are covered last in the process of 

 fattening. Carcasses show variation in thickness of external fat, rang- 

 ing all the way from zero to four inches. Beef fat is not palatable to 

 most people. The average consumer does not want more than one- 

 half or three-fourths of an inch of outside fat, and if the carcass weighs 

 500 pounds or less, about one-fourth of an inch is sufficient. It is 

 impossible to secure proper marbling unless a certain amount of fat is 

 put on externally at the same time, but the necessary marbling is 

 usually secured when one-half or three-fourths of an inch of fat is laid 

 on externally; after this point is reached, the fat is largely stored ex- 



FlG. 12. — Beef ribs. The rib cut on the left is too fat, the one on the right 

 is too lean, and the cut in the center is correctly fattened. Note that the amount 

 of lean meat is practically the same in all three. 



ternally, between the muscles, and about the internal organs. A cer- 

 tain amount of outside fat is necessary in prime beef in order to insure 

 proper ripening in the cooler, and also for proper roasting. In the- 

 lowest grades, such as canners, outside fat is entirely lacking and such 

 carcasses will decompose before they ripen. A carcass carrying soft, 

 "gobby" fat sells at a discount. Grass-fed cattle often yield carcasses 

 that are watery and flabby, with a marked lack of finish. Heifers 

 carry a higher percentage of fat in all cuts than do steers. This is one 

 of the principal reasons why they often sell at a discount in this country 

 while in England they are not discriminated against because the 

 Englishman likes fatter beef. 



Cattle fed to a complete finish, as are the beef cattle exhibited at 

 the larger live-stock shows, carry a great excess of outside fat — far too 



