46 BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
The fat covering is, as a rule, moderately thick over the loins and 
rump, but is usually noticeably thinner over the shoulders, crops, 
and back. The finish is usually slightly thin over the middle of 
the sides and the lower part of the shoulders and rounds. There 
are moderately large deposits of fat in the brisket, flanks, and twist, 
and these parts appear moderately full and distended. This grade 
includes some cows which have a fat covering which is much too 
thick or excessive, and in these cases there are often large ties, rolls, 
or bunches of fat over the loins or ribs and excessive patches of fat 
around the tail head. The fat is always moderately firm, and there 
is in each instance a high degree of correlation in the quantity, 
degree of firmness, and evenness of distribution between the ex- 
ternal fat covering and the internal fat. 
The animal is generally moderately neat and trim in appearance 
but as a rule is slightly too refined or coarse. The bones of the 
legs are usually slightly too small or large and the hide generally 
slightly too thin or thick but moderately pliable. The flesh is mod- 
erately firm and in most instances has a moderately high quantity of 
intermuscular and intramuscular fat. The joints of the legs are 
moderately smooth and small in most cases. The hide is loose to a 
moderate degree and the hair is moderately fine and oily, having a 
slight gloss or silken appearance. 
This grade is composed largely of cows in which beef -type breed- 
ing predominates but includes some individuals that resemble some- 
what the dairy type. They range from a little less than 2 years old 
up to around 6 years. They weigh from about 800 pounds up to 
1,400 pounds or more, with the bulk of them weighing from 900 
to 1,100 pounds. Only limited numbers of cows of this grade are 
received at any of the market centers. At the larger markets, how- 
ever, they are usually most abundant during the late summer and 
fall months, and they are usually very scarce from the first of the 
year to around June 1. 
Medium or No. 3. — Medium or No. 3 grade slaughter cows are 
slightly deficient in conformation, finish, and quality. They are 
slightly rangy or angular and the body is slightly narrow in pro- 
portion to its length. The head is slightly long and narrow, the 
neck is slightly long and thin and the legs are slightly long and 
placed slightly close together. The top and underlines are slightly 
irregular and oblique with the underline generally having a notice- 
able sag in the middle. The lines of the sides have a marked degree 
of obliqueness, converging toward a point in front of the animal. 
The animal is slightly rough over the shoulders, crops, back, ribs, 
loins, hips, and rump and the bones of these parts are slightly prom- 
inent. The flesh is slightly thin and uneven, the fore quarters being 
less thickly fleshed than the hind quarters. The lines of the different 
parts are slightly concave, sunken, or hollowed out, and the animal 
has a slightly low proportion of loins, ribs, and rounds in its 
carcass. 
The fat covering is slightly thin over the loins and rump and is 
slightly thinner over the shoulders, crops, and back. There is very 
little fat covering over the middle of the sides and the lower part 
of the shoulders and thighs. There are rather small deposits of fat 
in the brisket and rear flanks, and the hide surrounding these parts 
