8 DEPARTMENT BULLETIN 1360, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
wastiness and often tends to lower the commercial value of a carcass, 
especially of a highly finished animal. 
Quality in livestock N is an inherent property that contributes ma- 
terially to the degree of excellence or desirability of an animal in rela- 
tion to the purpose for which the animal is to be used. 
The quality of a slaughter animal, together with its conformation 
and finish, indicates its relative desirability for slaughtering. It also 
indicates the relative desirability of its meat as human food. Quality 
in a slaughter animal is indicated by its breeding, refinement, degree 
of finish, and to some extent by its age and sex condition. The quality 
of a feeder animal, together with its conformation, condition, and 
weight in relation to age, indicates its relative suitability for further 
growth and fattening. The quality of a feeder animal is indicated 
primarly by its breeding, type, and refinement. 
MARKET CLASSIFICATIONS FOR CATTLE 
Cattle are domestic animals of the bovine species. In market prac- 
tice cattle are grouped according to the uses to be made of them, also 
according to classes, ages, weights, and grades. (See Cattle and Calf 
Classification Schedules.) 
USES 
The most common purpose groups for cattle are : Slaughter, Feeder 
and Stocker, Milker, and Springer. The principal market-use groups 
into which market cattle are generally classified and for which market 
classes and grades have been standardized are: Slaughter Cattle and 
Feeder and Stocker Cattle. 
CLASSES 
The classes for market cattle are : Steer, Heifer, Cow, Bull, and Stag. 
Steer. — A Steer is a male bovine animal that was castrated at an 
early age or before it had reached sufficient maturity to make repro- 
duction possible or had developed the physical characteristics peculiar 
to bulls. 
Heifer. — A Heifer is a female bovine animal that has not had a 
calf or has not reached an evident stage of pregnancy, providing it 
has not developed with age the predominating physical characteris- 
tics of a cow. 
Cow. — A Cow is a female bovine animal that has had one or more 
calves or one that has reached an evident stage of pregnancy or one 
that has not had a calf but has reached maturity and has developed 
the predominating physical characteristics peculiar to cows. 
Bull. — -A Bull is an uncastrated male bovine animal of any age. 
Stag. — A Stag as applied to cattle is a male bovine animal that 
was castrated after it had developed the physical characteristics of 
an adult bull. 
AGES 
The terms used to indicate approximate age ranges for cattle are : 
Vealers, Calves, Yearlings, 2- Year-Olds, and older Cattle. 
Vealers. — Vealers are very young cattle, usually under 3 months 
old that have had only or chiefly milk for their diet. 
