278 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



tively high percentage of edible meat, particularly of the high- 

 priced cuts, such as prime of rib, porterhouse, sirloin, rump, 

 and round, which are taken from the back, loin, rump, and 

 quarters. In general the form that best fills these conditions 

 will be low set, deep, broad, and compact, rather than high up, 

 gaunt, narrow, loosely made. The cattle should be low set, 

 standing on short legs, as animals of this form are likely to 

 prove good feeders capable of maturing early. The top and 

 bottom lines should be straight and nearly parallel, the flanks 

 should be low, thus giving much depth and great capacity. 



Cattle possessing such a form are likely to prove rapid and 

 economic producers while in the feed lot, thus making a profit 

 for the feeder, and when slaughtered to dress a relatively high 

 percentage of edible meat, particularly of the high-priced cuts: 

 Such an animal should dress out 55 to 60 per cent or better with 

 approximately one-half of the edible meat in the region of 

 the valuable cuts, and this will sell for about 75 per cent of 

 the value of the entire carcass, leaving the other half from the 

 region of low-priced meat to bring the other 25 per cent of the 

 valuation. 



Condition of feeding cattle. — In considering steers to feed, 

 their condition should be carefully scrutinized from two points 

 of view: their thrift, and the amount of flesh they possess. 

 Feeding cattle should be thrifty but not coarse. Thrift is indi- 

 cated by a wide, deep chest, by fullness in the heart girth, by 

 depth and breadth of l:iody, and by good handling quality. 

 While the cattle should not be coarse, too much refinement is 

 likely to prove disappointing, as it often means delicacy or 

 lack of thrift, and no animal lacking in thrift should find its way 

 into the feed lot. 



To make rapid and economic feeders the cattle should not 

 possess much flesh at the beginning of the feeding period. 

 All things being equal, the thinner the steer at the beginning 

 of the feeding process the more rapid and economical gains it 



