Judging Cattle 139 
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF CATTLE 
226. Form of beef cattle. — In form the beefer in general should 
resemble a brick set on edge. It should fill out a parallelogram. 
The top and bottom lines should be parallel. The shoulders and 
chest should be almost as wide as the hips and rump. Feeders 
should be ‘ blocky,” indicating compactness and squareness of 
form. Those with long bodies are termed “ rangy,’’ while those 
with long legs showing too little depth and fullness of body are 
termed “leggy,” both of which characteristics are objectionable 
in a feeder. Steers standing high from the ground, light in the 
flanks, and shallow in the heart girth rarely make good feeders. 
227. Quality of beef cattle. — Quality is determined in the 
same way as in dairy cattle, that is, by a soft, mellow hide, silky 
hair, and a fine bone. The condition of the skin is thought to 
be an important indication as to the probable feeding qualities 
of asteer. If the skin is mellow and elastic to the touch, it indicates 
good “ handling.”’” Animals possessed of such skins usually fatten 
rapidly, whereas those with heavy, stiff skins often fatten slowly. 
The food influences the handling to a marked degree. When 
the animal is liberally fed, especially on oily, laxative foods, the 
skin is soft and elastic and the hair usually silky and fine. On the 
other hand, if the animal is scantily fed, or with improper foods 
the skin often becomes tightly attached to the body, and it feels 
dry and paper-like. Cattle possessed of tough, coarse hair ; tight, 
harsh skin; rough, heavy bones with coarse jcints, prominent hips, 
and rough, open shoulders are objectionable as feeders. 
228. Condition of the feeder. — In inspecting a lot of cattle with 
a view to choosing feeders, it is important to note their condition 
in respect to thrift and fleshiness. The indications of thrift are 
a good coat of silky hair; soft, pliable skin; a clean and mild eye ; 
and an absence of discharge from the nostrils. Thriftiness is of 
much importance if steers are to make economical and profitable 
beef-producing animals. 
