8 BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
these terms. These terms are therefore defined as used in this 
bulletin. 
CONFORMATION 
Conformation is the build, shape, and outline or contour of the 
animal. It is caused largely by the size and shape of the bones and 
muscles, and by the proportions between the different primal parts 
such as round, loin, rib, and shoulder. Hence conformation is chiefly 
attributable to breeding. Sex condition exerts a powerful influence 
except in the case of very young animals. Fat covering is responsible 
for marked modifications of conformation; hence feeding and care 
have an important bearing on the matter. Standards or ideals of 
conformation depend on the immediate use to which the animal is 
to be put. Grade for grade, a smoother and more rounded conforma- 
tion is demanded in animals intended for immediate slaughter than 
in those which are to be used for further feeding. 
The conformation demanded in slaughter cattle is one which will 
insure that the animal, when slaughtered, will have a high proportion 
of carcass weight and will have a carcass with a proportionately very 
thick covering of flesh throughout and the highest possible percent- 
age of total weight in the higher-priced cuts — in ribs, loins, and 
rounds combined. Such conformation involves the build or shape of 
the animal, its thickness of flesh, and evenness of fleshing. 
Slaughter animals present a wide range of variation in respect to 
these three characteristics of their conformation. In build or shape 
they may be rectangular and compact to a greater or less degree or 
they may be angular and rangy to the greatest or smallest extent. 
A rectangular and compact animal is one which is relatively wide 
and deep in proportion to length of body, with a relatively short, 
wide head, short, thick neck, and short legs which are set wide apart. 
The top and under lines and the lines of the sides are straight and 
parallel. 
Opposed to the rectangular and compact animal is the angular and 
rangy animal which is relatively narrow and shallow in proportion 
to length of body, with a relatively long, narrow head, long, thin 
neck, and long legs set close together. The top and under lines and 
the lines of the sides are irregular and oblique and tend to converge 
at a point in front of or in the rear of the animal. 
In fleshing (meaning both the lean and the fat which normally 
accompanies it) slaughter animals may be thickly and evenly fleshed 
or the flesh may be thinly and unevenly distributed over the body. 
In the thick-fleshed animal the lines of the different parts are full 
and rounded out, having more or less of a convex appearance. In 
the thin-fleshed animal the lines are depressed or sunken and have 
a more or less concave appearance. 
An animal which is evenly fleshed presents a smooth, plump ap- 
pearance throughout. The unevenly fleshed animal is more or less 
uneven, lacking in development in certain regions such as shoulders, 
crops, back, loin, rump, and thigh. 
Best or ideal conformation for slaughter cattle is a general appear- 
ance which seems practically perfect in all respects. The animal 
appears rectangular and very compact with the lines of each part 
very fully rounded out. The body is very wide and deep in propor- 
