MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF DRESSED BEEF. 13 
parts of the back, rump, and upper part of the round, and the in- 
ternal fat is in much the same condition. The fat of cow beef usually 
has a decidedly yellow tinge, and is rather oily in appearance instead 
of being white and flaky, as it is in the higher classes of beef. 
Cow beef is inferior in conformation to all other classes, but is 
superior to bull beef in finish and superior to both bull and stag 
beef in quality. In dressing percentage, cows rank at the bottom 
of the list of beef animals. The market price of cow beef is usually 
lower than that of any other class. excej)t bull beef. 
BULL BEEF. 
Bull beef is from an uncastrated male that has advanced far 
enough toward sexual maturity to make reproduction possible. It 
is distinguished from cow and heifer beef by the general character- 
istics peculiar to all males. It has no cod fat and thereby differs 
from steer beef and from most stag beef. The inguinal ring is some- 
what larger than in a stag carcass and much larger than in a steer 
carcass. External and internal fat is extremely scanty. On the 
exterior surface there is usually so little fat that over a large part 
of the carcass the muscle or lean meat is exposed to view. This, 
together with the fact that bull beef is generally very dark red in 
color, gives the carcass or side the decidedly bluish cast which is 
one of the outstanding characteristics of bull beef. 
Although there is a scarcity of fat in bull beef, there is usually 
an abundance of lean meat, the entire frame being heavily muscled. 
This is particularly noticeable in the forequarters. The shoulders 
are generally heavy, and have the appearance of coarseness in con- 
formation. The neck is short and thick and is crowned on the 
upper side by a crest or hump of heavy muscle. 
Bull beef is superior to cow beef in conformation, but is inferior 
to all other classes in finish and quality, and in general is not suit- 
able for block purposes. In dressing percentage, bulls outrank cows, 
but. as a rule, rank below all other classes. Market prices of bull 
beef are lower than those of any other class. Comparatively little 
bull beef is dispensed in the fresh-beef trade, as the bulk of it is 
used for sausage and dried beef. 
STAG BEEF. 
Stag beef is from a male that was castrated after it had advanced 
far enough toward sexual maturity to make reproduction possible. 
It possesses all of the characteristics peculiar to males. The inguinal 
ring is usually smaller than in a bull carcass, but slightly larger than 
in a steer carcass. There is wide variation in stag beef, such varia- 
tions depending largely on the age at which the animal was cas- 
trated. If castration was clone at a comparatively early age, the 
carcass may make a very close approach in conformation, finish, 
and qualitv to that of a steer or heifer. If, on the other hand, the 
animal had attained considerable age, and had possibly been used 
for breeding purposes for a considerable time before castration, 
the carcass will possess most of the distinctive characteristics of 
bull beef. One characteristic which is very persistent, and is almost 
always present to at least a noticeable degree, even where castration 
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