178 Animal Husbandry 
because they will dress out better and bring a higher price on the 
market. 
Good handling quality indicates that the steer is a good feeder. 
By good handling quality is meant a fine, silky hair and a loose, 
mellow skin. These are associated with thrift and the ability to 
take on flesh rapidly and economically, whereas a heavy, stiff hide 
is considered to indicate slower fattening. 
292. Uniformity in feeding cattle. — Feeding cattle should be 
uniform in age, weight, color, type or form, condition, breeding, 
and quality. Since young steers gain more rapidly than aged 
ones, and aged steers fatten more rapidly than young ones, it is 
not likely that a lot of steers of mixed ages would all be ready to 
market at the same time. If some of the animals are fat, while 
others are only half fat, they will not command as high a price on 
the market as though they were uniform in flesh. Not only must 
they be uniform in flesh, but they must be approximately uniform 
in weight, if the highest price is to be obtained. Butchers and 
packers desire cattle uniform in weight, so that the cuts of meat 
will run uniform, as their trade demands. While uniformity of 
color does not add to the animal’s capacity to take on flesh eco- 
nomically or to his ability to dress out well, yet the butchers desire 
such similarity and are willing to pay for it. The cattle should be 
uniform in type or form. If they vary in type, the weight of the 
cuts of meat will likewise vary, and to this the butcher objects. 
The butcher also demands animals equal in condition and quality, 
to meet the demands of his trade calls. 
293. Food requirements for beef. —- The quantity of food re- 
quired to fatten a beef animal depends on many factors, chief of 
which are the kind of food, the age, weight, and condition as well 
as the individuality of the animal. 
No definite quantities can be given that will apply to all ani- 
mals, to all conditions, and to all foods. The standards furnish 
us a guide to be modified by the judgment and experience of the 
feeder : — 
