124 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



to by writers as "sub-classes," and that term was used in the earlier 

 editions of this book. Arthur C. Davenport, manager of the Chicago 

 Daily Drovers Journal, in a recent book entitled "The American Live- 

 stock Market — How It Functions," makes the very good criticism 

 that "no buyer or seller on any of the markets ever uses the expression 

 'sub-classes' nor would he have the slightest idea what was meant, 

 nor is it ever used in market newspaper reports." The divisions of 

 the beef steer class according to weight are in reality sub-classes, but 

 there are good reasons why this term should not be used, and with the 

 exception of this paragraph and the accompanying foot-note, the term 

 has been omitted from the present edition of this book. ^ 



Fig. 32.— Choice beef steers. 



Prime steers.-vThis is the most select grade of the beef steer class. 

 Buyers for eastern markets take most of this grade, and packers take 

 the rest. Prime steers arepractically above criticism in form, quality, 



^In a communication to the writer, Mr. Davenport states that the divisions 

 of various market classes which are often termed "sub-classes" are in fact and in 

 reality just that, but he adds that if he were teaching a class of students he would 

 not attempt to give a name to the sub-classes, except to state that they are divisions 

 of a class. He further states: "There are many things in the system of classifying 

 and grading live stock that are not exactly logical and are quite different from what 

 any well-posted individual might outline if called upon to outline a system from 

 the foundation up. Of course this is due to the fact that the system in vogue has 

 grown up through long years of practice and for that very reason it is a most difficult 

 thing to effect any change in the system. I have watched with a great deal of 

 interest the efforts of the Bureau of Markets and have cooperated with them to 

 bring about some very much needed changes along the line of uniformity but, as 



