480 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



pounds gives a fat back and a high dressing out weight ii ! 

 well fattened. Figures show that the hog has less waste in 

 killing than any other farm animal. The butcher in selling 

 the carcass, has much less waste than with either beef or 

 mutton, for as a rule he receives a good price for his extra 

 fat or leaf lard. 



The wholesale cuts of the pork carcass especially in- 

 terest the student of animal conformation. He should be 

 familiar with these, where they come from and their relative 

 values. A knowledge of the retail cuts, while desirable, is 

 less necessary. 



The pork carcass when ready for cutting up consists of 

 the body, legs, feet, head and ears, complete, less the internal 

 organs, excepting the kidneys. The body is split completely 

 through on the under line, from the tail to brisket. From 

 this point there is some slight difference in cutting, accord- 

 ing to the market classes and uses. However, in general 

 practice, the carcass is cut into two sides. Sometimes the 

 head is divided into two parts, and sometimes it is cut 

 off entirely at the neck. 



The parts of the pork carcass are not many, and are 

 easily separated into their several groups. In the large 

 packing-houses, a common sight is to see a half of a dressed 

 hog drop from a floor above to a large chopping block, about 

 which stand three or four men with great cleavers attached 

 to axe-like handles. With one well-directed blow, each man 

 in turn strikes the carcass, so that in a trice the side before 

 them is neatly reduced to standard wholesale cuts, and 

 shoved on to be cared for by the sorters. The wholesale 

 parts of dressed hogs may be divided into the following 

 general classes : Hams, sides, bellies, backs, loins, shoulders, 

 tutts and plates, and miscellaneous. 



The grading 1 of pork cuts, says Prof. L. D. Hall, 1 is more 

 complex than that of other meats since it involves not only 

 their quality, shape, proportions of fat and lean, and 



1 Market Classes and Grades of Meats. Bull. 147, Illinois Agr. Exp. Station, 

 1910. This is a very valuable publication, beautifully and extensively illustrated. 



