RETAIL MARKETING OF MEATS 
29 
Estimates obtained regarding classes of beef handled were 50 to 
60 per cent from steers, the remainder being principally from cows 
and heifers in approximately equal ratios. This is a lower ratio 
for cows than the estimated annual slaughter, due in part perhaps 
to the lower slaughter of cows in the spring and summer, when 
these estimates were obtained, but principally perhaps to the tend- 
ency of dealers to report steer beef more largely than their trade 
warranted. 
Cash-and-carry stores and service stores reported handling ap- 
proximately the same percentages of medium-grade beef, roughly 
somewhat less than 60' per cent. Cash-and-carry stores reported a 
much larger percentage of good grade and a much smaller per- 
centage of common grade than service stores. Cash-and-carry stores 
also reported a higher percentage of steer beef as compared with 
cow beef than service stores. The high average percentage of 
common in the service stores is in part due to the low grade carried 
by the large number of small combination stores giving delivery 
service. However, the higher percentage of good meats in carry 
stores is perhaps in part due to the fact that sales are more largely 
by actual inspection of meats by customers. 
A comparison of grades of beef carried by different types of 
stores indicate that straight meat markets and chain stores, both of 
which types reported approximately the same percentage of each 
grade, handle a greater percentage of good and medium and a 
smaller percentage of common grades than combination meat and 
grocery stores, and that straight meat markets handle a larger per- 
centage of steers than combination meat and grocery stores. Stalls 
in public markets reported a much higher percentage of high-grade 
meats than even the straight meat markets generally. Many com- 
bination stores handle as high-grade meats and specialize as ef- 
fectively as other types of stores; but the figures show that as a 
rule the types of stores that specialize in meats carry a better grade 
than those that specialize in other lines. 
Table 14. — Relationship of sales of various grades of fresh beef to total sales 
in stores of various classes and types 1 
Class of service and type of store 
Number 
can- 
vassed 
Grade handled 
Good 2 
Medium 
Common 
Cash-and-carry stores . 
607 
1,656 
Per cent 
27.91 
15.85 
Per cent 
58.37 
58.28 
Per cent 
13.72 
Service stores . ... 
25.87 
Total stores . . 
2,263 
19.08 
58.30 
22.62 
C ombination meat and grocery stores . 
1,328 
618 
158 
153 
6 
15.05 
23.00 
22.85 
33.03 
54.17 
53.51 
66.48 
66.18 
59.42 
38.33 
31.44 
Straight meat markets 
10.52 
Chain stores _ 
10.97 
Stalls in public markets ... 
7.55 
Meat sections in department stores.. .. 
7.50 
Total . 
2,263 
19.08 
20.87 
58.30 
59.95 
22.62 
Percentage of sales 3 . .. 
19.18 
1 Compiled from statements made by each dealer as to the percentage each grade bore to his total sales. 
2 Including prime and choice. 
3 Based on average sales of 1,448 stores. (See Table 6.) 
