74 
BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
in proportion to its length. The legs are set very close together and 
are extremely long in proportion to the depth of body. Top and 
underlines as well as the lines of the sides are very irregular and 
oblique. The chest is very narrow and shallow and the animal 
has a very poor middle as a rule. The crops are very empty and 
hollow and the back and loin very narrow. The ribs are very short 
and flat and the animal is extremely paunchy with the rear flank 
appearing very high. The hips are very narrow and the rump is 
very narrow an4 peaked, with the tail head appearing very high 
or drooped when compared with the back line. The thigh is very 
narrow and tapering and the twist is very shallow and the seam 
of the twist is very high. All parts are extremely thin in fleshing 
and the bones of the shoulders, the hips, the backbone, and the ribs 
are all extremely prominent. The parts of the animal are balanced 
Fig. 37. — Common grade stocker steer 
so that it will have a very low percentage of ribs, loins, and rounds 
in its carcass when it is finished and slaughtered. 
The fat covering is extremely thin over the shoulders, crops, back, 
loins, and rump. There are extremely small deposits of fat in the 
brisket, flanks, twist, and cod and the hide at these points is usually 
very much wrinkled. There is no apparent fat covering over any of 
the other parts of the animal. 
Steers of this grade have a very unkempt, ill-bred, and ill-cared-for 
appearance as a general rule. The bones of the legs are either ex- 
tremely large or extremely small. The hide is extremely thick or 
thin and is extremely tight and unpliant. The hair as a rule is very 
coarse, dry, and harsh. The flesh is extremely soft or moderately 
hard as a general rule. 
Steers of this grade are usually of very decided dairy type or non- 
descript breeding as evidenced by their conformation, and a con- 
