40 
BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
is slightly soft as a general rule. The quantity of internal fat and 
its degree of firmness and evenness of distribution usually corre- 
spond with the thickness, firmness, and distribution of the external 
fat. 
An animal in this grade shows by its general appearance that a 
reasonable amount of care has been given to its breeding, feeding, 
and handling, bat as a rule the animal is slightly too coarse or 
refined. The bones are usually slightly too large or too small and 
the hide slightly too thick or thin and slightly unpliant. The 
flesh of the animal is slightly soft and in most instances has only 
a small quantity of intermuscular and intramuscular fat. The 
joints of the legs are slightly rough. As a rule, the hide is inclined 
to be tight and the hair is slightly dry and harsh. 
Fig. 14.— Medium grade slaughter heifer 
Heifers of this grade are about equally divided between those 
which have a predominance of beef -type breeding and those which 
show a preponderance of dairy-type breeding. They range from 
approximately 6 months up in age, but are practically all under 
2 years old. They weigh from around 800 pounds down, but very 
few weigh as much as 900 pounds. They are more or less regularly 
on sale at practically all large central markets, with their season 
of greatest supply occurring during the late summer and fall months 
and the season of scarcity extending from around January 1 until 
June 1. 
Commo7i, or No. 4- — Common or No. 4 grade slaughter heifers 
are deficient in conformation, finish, and quality to a marked degree. 
They are rangy or angular, the body being narrow and shallow 
in proportion to its length. The head is long and narrow, the 
neck is long and thin, and the legs long and set much too near 
