48 BULLETIN 14 70, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
is moderately firm but coarse grained, and medium to dark red in 
color. Bones are white and hard. 
Utility. — Utility grade mutton chucks are thin in all parts and bones 
are prominent. Shoulders are thin and narrow. There is little or no 
fat covering. The flesh is soft and flabby , coarse grained, and watery. 
Its color is dark red. Bones are hard and white. 
Gull. — Cull grade mutton chucks are rarely offered for fresh-meat 
consumption. Chucks of this grade are exceedingly thin in all parts 
and the proportion of bone to meat is very high. Visible fats are 
almost totally lacking. The flesh is coarse, soft, flabby, and has dark 
red to light brown color. Bones are hard and white. 
GKADES OF MUTTON BREASTS AND SHANKS 
Prime. — Prime grade mutton breasts are very thick and full. They 
have a liberal proportion of lean flesh, interspersed with generous lay- 
ers of fat of excellent quality. Exterior and interior fats are plentiful 
and outer fats are smooth and even, extending well down on the shanks. 
The flesh is firm, moderately fine grained, and light red in color. 
Bones are white and hard. 
Choice. — Choice grade mutton breasts are thick and full. They are 
interspersed with generous layers of fat of good quality. Exterior 
and interior fats are plentiful and outer fats are evenly distributed. 
The flesh is firm, fine grained, and has light red color. Bones are white 
and hard. 
Good. — Good grade mutton breasts resemble Choice grade mutton 
breasts in most respects. They are generally not so thickly fleshed 
and as a rule have a lower percentage of fat interspersed through the 
lean. They may, however, be slightly excessive in this respect as com- 
pared with Choice grade. Exterior fat is not so evenly distributed. 
The flesh is slightly coarse grained and has light to medium red color. 
Bones are white and hard. 
Commercial. — Commercial grade mutton breasts are relatively thin. 
They lack the generous mixture of fat found in the better grades and 
have only limited quantities of exterior fat. The flesh is moderately 
firm and somewhat coarse grained. Its color varies from medium to 
dark reel. Bones are hard and white. 
Utility. — Utility grade mutton breasts and shanks are the lowest 
grade offered generally for fresh-meat consumption. They are thin 
in all parts and usually show very little or no visible exterior or inte- 
rior fat. The flesh is soft, watery, and flabby and has a very dark red 
color. Bones are white and hard. 
Cull. — Cuts of this grade are rarely offered for sale as fresh meat. 
They are exceedingly thin and the proportion of bone to meat is high. 
Visible fats are generally totally lacking. Flesh is very soft, flabby, 
and watery. It has a dark red to light brown color. Bones are white 
and hard. 
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1942 
