LIVE AND DRESSED WEIGHTS 



The National Provisioner, in an interesting article, says : — 



" The census of the United States has provided average live 

 and dressed weights of meat animals killed in the wholesale 

 slaughtering and meat-packing industry, and these averages, 

 of course, are derived from an immense number of animals. 

 Information is provided for 1899, 1904, and 1909. 



" The average live weight of beeves, not including calves, 

 was 1069 lbs. in 1899, 1047 lbs. in 1904. and 1019 lbs. in 1909. 

 This declining average may be due to the tendency to slaughter 

 steers at younger ages in recent years than formerly. 



" The dressed weight of beeves also declined, the average 

 being 583 lbs. for 1899, 569 lbs. for 1904, and 543 lbs. for 1909. 



w * With diminishing live weight the percentage represented 

 by the dressed weight has declined, the percentage for 1899 

 was 54-5, for 1904 it was 54-3, and for 1909 it was 53-3 per cent. 



" On the other hand, the live and dressed weights of calves 

 have increased. For the three years in order the average live 

 weight was 141, 167, and 168 lbs., and the average dressed 

 weight was 90, 103, and 105 lbs. But the dressed weight as a 

 percentage of live weight has declined since 1899. The ratios- 

 for the three years are 63-8, 61-7, and 62-5 per cent respectively. 



" Sheep and lambs are combined in the census statement, 

 and their average live weight for the three years was 84, 86, and 

 81 lbs., while their average dressed weight was 43, 43, and 41 

 lbs., constituting a fraction of live weight represented by 51-2, 

 50, and 50-6 per cent respectively. 



*' In the export frozen and chilled beef trade of Argentina 

 the average weights of two forequarters and two hindquarters 

 are regarded as making the dressed weight of a beef animal. 

 Since these are mostly well -grown steers, the averages are high 

 compared with the average dressed weight of all cattle slaugh- 



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