12 BULLETIN 1086, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
on the difference in selling price of oily and firm bacon, but on the 
average difference in selling price of all of the cuts and by-products 
of the hog carcass. 
On account of the inferior appearance and handling qualities of 
oily meat, together with the difference in shrinkage of the soft meat, 
the buyer of live hogs would seem to be justified in making some dis- 
count in price on those that chill out oily or soft. There were no 
noticeable differences in the keeping qualities or food value of the 
three grades of meat, but the unattractive appearance and unsatis- 
Fig. 3. — Samples of lard from hogs graded as firm or hard. Note that when the bottles are tilted the level 
of the contents does not change, showing that the lard is firm. Photographs taken immediately after 
lard was removed from a constant temperature 30° C. 
factory handling qualities of soft and oily pork make it more difficult 
to sell. If the difficulties in selling oily meat cause great delays the 
shrinkage will naturally be greater, because all meat continues to 
shrink from the time the animal is slaughtered until the carcass is 
consumed. 
PRICES OF THE THREE GRADES OF MEAT COMPARED. 
The preliminary investigations conducted in Texas and Oklahoma 
to determine whether or not buyers of live hogs actually received a 
lower price for the pork and pork products from those that chill oily 
and soft were not extensive enough to allow definite conclusions to 
be drawn. They did show, however, that a considerably lower price 
was received for oily bacon, and slightly lower prices were received 
for lard and the wholesale cuts. 
