JUDGING BEEF TYPE OF CATTLE 231 



good beef conformation. The low set body is an absolutely 

 necessary feature of correct beef form. In this study of 

 general form, the opposite lines of back and belly should 

 be fairly parallel, and a similar application may be made 

 of the side lines as viewed from the ends or above. 



Quality in the beef animal is indicated by fineness of 

 bone, a mellow elastic hide, soft silky hair, and refined de- 

 velopment of certain parts, such as head, ears and joints. 

 Any unnecessary heaviness or weight of bone, means too 

 much loss at slaughter as well as later loss in the retail 

 meat trade. It is rarely that the bone is subject to criti- 

 cism for being too fine, but rather the opposite. The soft, 

 mellow hide is one of the most important indications of the 

 profitable feeder. Through the hide are distributed the 

 fine capillaries that convey the nutritive material of the 

 food in the blood and deposit it where needed over the 

 body. If the hide is hard and unyielding, the capillaries 

 do not serve their purpose to best advantage. Grasped 

 between thumb and fingers, the skin of desirable char- 

 acter feels mellow, somewhat thick and unctuous or fatty 

 to the touch, and is elastic, pulling easily from the body, 

 especially back of the shoulders and along the sides. Such 

 a skin gives what the stockman terms a "sappy" look to 

 the animal, indicating a thriving condition. If the hide 

 holds tight to the body where it should be loose, if it is 

 thick and hard, or thin and "dry and papery" as it is 

 termed, then the qualities of the desirable feeder are lack- 

 ing. The physical condition of the animal naturally af- 

 fects the skin, and sickness may cause harshness and un- 

 yielding character. The hide is in greatest perfection under 

 conditions of absolute health and when the body has felt 

 the influence of good feeding. The beef animal should have 

 a skin of moderate thickness, but not too heavy. Beef 

 cattlemen prefer a hide that inclines to be thick, rather 

 than thin, for the latter is not associated with the thickest 

 laying on of flesh. Another important point in favor of 

 the thicker type of hide is the protection it gives the 



