MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF CATTLE 9 
tion to its length. The legs are very short and set very wide apart. 
The top and under lines are straight and parallel as are the lines 
of the sides when viewed from the front, from the rear, or from 
above. The flesh of the animal is very thick and uniformly dis- 
tributed over the body, the outlines being sufficiently rounded out to 
appear convex or plump. The head is very wide and short; the neck 
is very short and thick, blending smoothly into the shoulder. The 
top of the shoulder is well covered and full. The width of body from 
shoulder to tailhead is uniform. The crops, back, and loin are 
fully developed, blending into each other to give a very plump, even 
appearance. The ribs (sides) are thickly and evenly covered and the 
front and rear flanks are full and even with the under line. The 
hips are well covered and of the same width as the shoulders, the 
rump being very level, plump, and carrying out evenly the tailhead. 
The lower part of the thigh bulges slightly at both side and rear and 
the twist is very low and full. 
The build or shape of the animal, together with its thickness and 
evenness of fleshing, causes the animal to be ideally balanced, thus 
insuring that it will have a very high proportion of loins, ribs, and 
rounds combined in its carcass, other factors, principally finish, 
being equal. 
Best conformation is rarely if ever found except in steers or 
spayed heifers of one of the recognized breeds of beef cattle or high 
grades and crossbreds of these breeds. 
Poorest or most undesirable conformation for slaughter cattle 
is also indicated by the general appearance of the animal which 
seems imperfect in all respects. The build or shape of the animal 
is angular or rangy with the lines very irregular and oblique, 
sunken or depressed. The body is extremely narrow in proportion 
to its length. The legs are placed very near each other and in most 
cases are extremely long. The top and under lines are very irregu- 
lar and oblique, as are the lines of the sides when viewed from the 
front, from the rear, or from above. The head is extremely long 
and narrow. The neck is extremely long and thin, with the shoulder 
vein much depressed. The shoulders are bare of flesh and open. 
The width of body from shoulder to tailhead is extremely uneven. 
The crops, back, and loin lack development. The hips and rump are 
high, rough, and bare of flesh and the tail head rough and either 
extremeh 7 high or drooped. Frequently the rump is much narrower 
at the tail head than at the hips, giving a peaked appearance. The 
ribs are bare and the rear flank is extremely thin and high. The 
lower part of the thigh is extremely thin and the twist is extremely 
high. 
The flesh of the animal is very thin and the lines are extremely 
sunken or depressed, the animal closely approaching a state of 
emaciation in so far as its flesh condition is concerned. The build 
or shape of the animal, its thickness of flesh and unevenness of flesh- 
ing all indicate that it will yield the lowest possible percentage of 
carcass weight to live weight and an extremely small ratio of total 
meat to bone in so far as these results are influenced by conformation. 
Poorest conformation is usually found in aged cows of dairy type, 
scrub, or nondescript breeding. 
