EVOLUTION OF THE BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY 245 



cate coarseness of quality. The smoothness and compactness 

 of the top of the shoulder should likewise characterize the 

 sides of same. The shoulders should blend evenly into the 

 body proper, there being no tendency to depressions in the 

 crops or flanks. 



Shoulder Vein. The shoulder vein should be full, thus 

 giving smoothness of neck and shoulder development. 



Brisket. The brisket should be trim and neat, extending 

 forward sufficiently to give the animal proper conformation, 

 although this should not be extreme. 



Legs. The legs should be short, straight, and strong, with 

 dense, hard bone, this condition indicating quality. They 

 should set well apart and directly under the body. If they 

 are set too close together it is indicative of a narrow chest 

 and thus weak constitution and vitality. The feet should 

 be medium in size, and the animal should stand well up on 

 the toes. 



BODY. The body proper includes the chest, back, ribs, 

 loin, underline, and flanks. The chest should be broad, deep, 

 and full. There is a marked difference in the chest of the 

 beef and the dairy animal. In the former, the width should 

 be the same through the crops and in the flank region, the 

 latter having an angular formation at the top, thus necessi- 

 tating greater width on the floor to obtain the desired chest 

 capacity. There should be no depression whatever back of 

 the shoulders. Full conformation in this region gives the beef 

 animal the most desirable attainments, from the butcher's 

 standpoint. A high flank is objectionable. Any noticeable 

 decrease in the body in the chest or flank region is indicative 

 either of low vitality or undesirable feeding qualities. 



The value of a breeding or feeding animal is influenced 

 largely by the development of the back because of the 

 relatively large proportion of high-priced cuts coming from 

 it. It should be straight, broad, and uniformly carried out 

 from the shoulders to the hindquarters. The amount and 

 character of natural flesh is important. The back should 

 be characterized by smooth, firm, uniform covering through- 

 out. A low, weak back is objectionable, as such a condition 

 is associated with a lack of form and symmetry in general 



