MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OP CATTLE 
49 
years old. They weigh from around TOO pounds up with the bulk 
weighing under 1.000 pounds. Practically all markets receive a 
fair supply of them throughout the year but they are usually scarce 
during the spring months and very plentiful during the fall season. 
Cutter or No. 5. — Cutter or Xo. 5 grade slaughter cows are very 
deficient in conformation, finish, and quality. They are very rangy 
or angular and the body is very narrow in proportion to its length. 
The legs are very long and set very close together, and the head is 
very narrow and long. The neck is very long, thin, and tapering. 
Top and underlines are very irregular and oblique. The top line 
usually has a noticeable dip back of the shoulders and a decided dip 
in front of the hips. The animal is usually very paunchy. The 
lines of the sides are very irregular and oblique, and the animal is 
Fig. 21. — Cutter grade slaughter cow 
very rough over the shoulders, hips, and rump with the bones of 
the shoulders and hips, the backbone and the ribs all very promi- 
nent. The flesh is very thin and the lines of each have a very 
sunken or concave appearance. Cows of this grade generally have 
a very low proportion of loins and ribs in their carcasses. 
The fat covering is extremely thin over the crops, back, loins, 
and rump and there is practically no fat covering over other parts 
of the animal's body. Only very small quantities of fat are deposited 
in the brisket and rear flanks, and the hide at these points is usually 
very shrunken, shriveled, and wrinkled. The fat is very soft, and 
there is very little internal fat. 
The animal is very much lacking in neatness and trimness of 
appearance, and is usually very coarse or very refined. As a rule 
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