JUDGING BEEF CATTLE 69 



121." Handling Indicates Condition and Quality of 

 Meat. The handling quality of the prime steer has con- 

 siderable value in the butcher's view. On this he relies 

 for indications of the steer's condition, and also the qual- 

 ity of the meat. If the covering of flesh is evenly dis- 

 tributed over the steer and it is springy and mellow to the 

 touch, it is considered ready for the block. If in denting 

 the side with the finger the dent lingers some time the 

 condition is due to soft, flabby fat that brings but a small 

 price at the butcher's stalls. This is quite common in fin- 

 ishing steers to find them flabby in places, most commonly 

 over the loin and about the root of the tail. This patchi- 

 ness is due to the unevenness of the fat distribution and it 

 is a very undesirable feature. 



122. Condition. A sure sign of the condition of a steer 

 and its fitness for the block is fullness of the scrotum or 

 cod. When a steer is ready for the butcher the scrotum 

 will be soft and large. The condition of the flank is an- 

 other sign of ripeness. This should be thick, full and 

 pendant, and the lower lines of it should be nearly even 

 with the bottom lines of the body. Another indication 

 considered very reliable is the development of tongue fat 

 or the fullness which appears at the root of the tongue. 



123. Relation of Parts. In the finished steer from the 

 butcher's standpoint the head is of little value, it should 

 be in harmony with the rest of the body and not too large, 

 as that means waste. The neck should be short and thick. 

 The shoulder vein or the junctiure of the neck and the 

 shoulder should be full, giving both these parts a charac- 

 teristic smoothness due to the base of the neck swelling 

 nicely over the shoulder blade. The latter should be well 

 covered and evenly packed on top. The brisket should 

 not be too heavy, as this is very cheap meat, but only ad- 

 vanced enough to contribute to the desired squareness of 



