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JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



factors should be carefully kept in mind by the judge, for, 

 from the butcher 's point of view, a well-covered back and 

 heavy-fleshed hindquarter are of first importance in beef 

 production. The twist is the part of the hindquarter where 

 the upper and lower thighs blend together, forming a curve 

 on the inside that should be very strongly defined. The 



more pronounced the curve, 

 the thicker fleshed will be the 

 thigh just above this point. 

 It is desirable to have the 

 thighs as plump as possible 

 from top to bottom, but we 

 may find hindquarters nar- 

 rower at the top, and thick 

 and full below, yet with strong 

 twists. It is not unusual to 

 find Aberdeen Angus cattle of 

 such conformation. On the 

 contrary, the Hereford has a 

 natural tendency for a full 

 development high up on the 

 thigh, with a paring away of 

 the lower thigh, and lack of 

 fullness of twist. It is equal- 

 ly important that the thigh be 

 fully fleshed above and below. 



The legs should be well placed and short, the same argument 

 as to position of legs and feet applying to the hind as to 

 front limbs. If the hocks are straight, and point directly back, 

 with four or five inches of space between, the toes will point 

 forward, in good form, and ample room for thickness of thigh 

 will exist. When the hocks crowd close together, the toes point 

 outward, and the thighs lack in thickness. Neither should 

 the legs be carried too far beneath the body, as viewed from 

 the side. The legs as a whole will assume a very true and 

 satisfactory position, if a plumb line dropped from the 

 point of the rump touches the point of hock and falls 

 nearly parallel with the back side of the shank bone. 



Fig. 141. "The twist is the 

 part of the hindquarter where the 

 upper and lower thighs bend to- 

 gether, forming a curve on the in- 

 side." 



