MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF DRESSED BEEF. 5 
Another difficulty lies in the fact that there are practically 
no mechanical devices to aid the grader. The only device of this 
kind which can be used readily is the scales, and the system of 
grading described herein disregards weight in determining both 
class and grade. Certain subclasses, it is true, are based on weight, 
but these are of relatively little consequence compared with the 
main series of classes and grades. The beef grader, therefore, must 
depend almost entirely on mere observation and a constant match- 
ing of the thing observed with a set of ideals or pictures which he 
carries in his mind. 
The task of the authors, therefore, is to draw a set of word pic- 
tures which will enable the one interested in grading beef to form 
in his mind a picture typical of each market class and grade. This 
is not a simple matter, because all grading of meats is relative. 
Specifications involving mathematical measurements or mechanical 
apparatus can not be laid down. The grade into which a certain car- 
cass shall be put depends upon the degree to which the carcass pos- 
sesses certain factors or characteristics which are common to all 
units of the commodity, and these variations in degree are not yet 
subject to mathematical measurement. 
VARIOUS BASES FOR GRADING BEEF. 
Assuming the desirability of a standard system for grading beef, 
the question arises, What factors shall determine why a given carcass 
of beef should be placed in one class and one grade and not in some 
other class and graded 
It is apparent that several bases might be used for grading beef. 
For example, weight might be made the determining factor. As a 
matter of fact, certain agencies in the meat trade do lay considerable 
stress on the matter of weight. This, however, is but a form of clas- 
sification and has nothing to do with grading. 
Again, a system of grading might be based on the geographical 
origin of the animals which produced the beef. In times past con- 
siderable weight was attached to where the animal came from, and 
even to-day some of the old terms such as native, western, and Texas, 
which grew out of that system, still linger. 
Conceivably, age might be made the basis for grading, and, as a 
matter of fact, age has much to do with indicating the grade of meat, 
though it has little to do with actually determining the grade. 
All the systems of grading mentioned thus far break down in one 
or more respects when the three fundamental requisites of grading 
are applied to them. They all lack workability, definiteness, or per- 
manence. It is believed, however, that the system of grading set 
forth in this bulletin meets all the requirements with a minimum of 
the objections found in the systems that have been used heretofore. 
In the final analysis, market preference, over a long period of time, 
must be taken into account, Although market preference has been 
given consideration in the actual order of arrangement of the various 
grades, it has been disregarded in the determination of any particu- 
lar grade. In other words, a given carcass of meat is placed in a 
certain grade because of inherent characteristics of that carcass and 
without any reference to the preference of the consumer. On the 
other hand, in the arrangement of the grades, No. Al, or Prime, is 
