86 BULLETIN 1464, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
ately narrow in proportion to its length with the legs, which are 
set slightly close together, being slightly long in proportion to depth 
of body. The top line is slightly uneven, having the customary rise 
over the withers and neck and usually dipping slightly in front 
of the hips and back of the shoulders. The underline occasionally 
sags slightly in the middle. The lines of the sides are slightly irregu- 
lar and oblique. The animal has a slightly poor middle, the crops 
being slightly empty and sunken and the chest slightly narrow and 
shallow. The back and loins are slightly narrow and usually low 
and the ribs are noticeably short and flat. The belly is paunchy and 
the rear flank is slightly high. The hips are slightly narrow and 
the rump is slightly narrow and peaked, with the tail head slightly 
high or drooped when compared with the back line. The thigh is 
slightly narrow and the twist is slightly shallow, with the seam of 
the twist slightly high. The fleshing of the crops, back, and loins 
is thin, with the fleshing of the shoulders, rump, and rounds slightly 
thicker. The lines of the animal appear slightly depressed. The 
development and balance of the different parts indicate that the 
animal when finished and slaughtered will have a noticeably low 
percentage of ribs, loins, and rounds in its carcass. 
The fat covering is thin over the crops, back, loins, and rump, and 
slightly thinner over the shoulders and top of the rounds. Only 
small deposits of fat are found in the brisket and flanks, and the hide 
at these points is usually more or less wrinkled. The fat covering is 
not of sufficient thickness to cause any apparent roughness or lack of 
uniformity in its distribution. 
Individuals of this grade are generally lacking in refinement, 
being, as a rule, slightly too coarse or too refined. The bones of the 
legs are slightly too large or too small. The hide is slightly too thick 
or too thin and is usually tight and unpliant. The hair is slightly 
coarse and, as a rule, the flesh of the animal is soft. 
Bulls of this grade usually have the color markings of one of the 
purebred breeds of beef -type cattle but their general conformation 
usually indicates that they are low grades or are of more or less dairy- 
type or nondescript breeding. In age they range from around 1 
year up, with very few over 3 years old. They are. generally on sale 
in very limited numbers throughout the year at the larger livestock 
markets, but are most numerous during the late summer and fall 
months. 
Common or No. Jf. — Common or No. 4 grade feeder and stocker 
bulls are deficient to a marked degree in conformation, finish, and 
quality. The head is long and narrow and the neck is also long. They 
are rangy and angular to a marked degree, the body being narrow 
and often shallow in proportion to its length. The legs, which are set 
close together, are long in proportion to depth of body. The top 
line is irregular to a marked degree, the rise over the withers and 
neck usually being pronounced. The lines of the sides are also 
irregular to a marked degree and the underline usually has a pro- 
nounced sag in the middle. The animal has a poor middle, the 
crops being narrow and sunken and the chest narrow and shallow. 
The back and loins are narrow and usually low and the ribs are 
short and flat. The belly is often very paunchy and the rear flank 
