248 



JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



If the rib is not well arched, or ' ' well sprung, ' ' as the stock- 

 man expresses it, then the back will be narrow, and lack the 

 width necessary to secure the best of cuts. The spring of rib 

 should come well out to the line of hips, which will insure a 

 wide loin and back. Flatness of rib and depression behind 

 the shoulders indicates, as a rule, lack of constitution. It is 

 not necessarily always so, however. Some animals having 

 long ribs as viewed from the side, show deep middles and 

 large digestive capacity, but when viewed from front or 

 rear, present a decided narrowness of back due to flatness 

 of rib. When the rib is both short and flat, then we have 

 a most undesirable conformation, the type that brings the 

 low price for its class. It is highly essential that the ribs 

 be smoothly and deeply covered with flesh. As previously 

 stated, the lower part of the ribs may be bare, though the 

 back be well covered. The judge should pass his hands 

 over the ribs and feel the covering, noting its depth, firm- 

 ness .and smoothness, and the way it is packed in between 

 the ribs. Beef cattle should be close-ribbed, that is, the 

 spaces between them should be as close as possible, thereby 



Fig. 138. Note the difference in depth of body and digestive capacity of 

 these two beef steers that are of exactly the same age. 



