32 
BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Steers of t'his grade are for the most part animals in which the 
blood of one of the beef breeds predominates but include many 
animals of pronounced dairy type. They range from about 6 months 
up in age, with most individuals falling within the 2 to 4 year old 
age limits. They usually weigh from 800 to 1,100 pounds. They 
are regularly on sale at practically all livestock markets. Their 
season of greatest supply extends from June 1 to December 1, and 
their season of scarcity occurs during the winter and early spring 
months. 
Common or No. J h — Common or No. 4 grade slaughter steers are 
deficient in conformation, finish, and quality to a marked degree. 
They are rangy or angular. The body is narrow and shallow in 
proportion to its length, the head is long and narrow, the neck is 
long and thin, and the legs are long in proportion to depth of body 
Fig. 8.— Common grade slaughter steer 
and set much too close together. Top and underlines are uneven, 
oblique, and antiparallel to a marked extent, as are the lines of the 
sides. Such animals are rough over the shoulders, crops, back, loins, 
hips, and rump, and the bones of the shoulders, ribs, hips, and the 
backbone have a considerable 'degree of prominence. The flesh cov- 
ering the different parts is thin and causes the lines of each one of 
these to be depressed, sunken, or hollowed out in appearance. The 
parts are usually developed and balanced so that the individual has 
considerably less than an average proportion of loins, ribs, and 
rounds in its carcass. 
The fat covering is thin over the shoulders, crops, back, loins, and 
rump and does not extend very far down on the sides. As a rule, 
the middle of the sides and the lower parts of shoulders and thighs 
are entirely lacking in fat covering. Only small quantities of fat 
are deposited in the brisket, flanks, twist, and cod, and at these points 
