Nov. 19, 1917 
Study of Steers During Fattening Period 
387 
The average measurements at the conclusion of the fattening period 
show similarity as follows: The length of head, width of hips, and dis¬ 
tance of buttock from hips varying within 0.638 inch of each other; 
the width of shoulder, front flank, and thurls are almost identical; and 
the circumference of the chest and hind flank are more alike than their 
initial measurements. The height has increased more at the withers 
than at the hips; thus, a 2-year-old steer changes his greatest height 
from the hips to the withers while receiving market condition. In 
circumference the increase was greater for the hind flank than for the 
chest; thus, the greater circumference of the chest at the initial measure¬ 
ment becomes less than the circumference of the hind flank in the fin¬ 
ished steer. In fattening, the greatest width at paunch and the greatest 
depth of body at the chest become more nearly alike, as shown by a 
difference of 3.118 inches at the initial measurement and 1.688 inches 
at the concluding measurement. 
In all cases the difference between the initial measurement and the 
final measurement shows an increase in dimensions due to deposition of 
fat, muscular development, and growth. The regions of the body cov¬ 
ered by the greatest amount of muscular development show greater in¬ 
creased dimensions than those having less muscular covering. In the 
regions where the growth would show the greater relative influence the 
least changes take place as shown in the width of head, length of head, 
distance from chest to ground and hock to ground. The greatest in¬ 
crease in width took place in the hind flank rather than in the paunch, 
where it would seem natural to have the greatest increase because of feed 
capacity and condition. The thick layer of flesh and fat deposits in the 
region of the hind flank, together with the" distention of this region of 
the body in a fattened steer, are responsible for the greater width in this 
part of the body. The width of loin, hips, thurls, shoulders, and front 
flank shows changes in dimensions caused mainly by increased condition 
of flesh. 
The increase in height at the withers of 4.646 inches is not all due to 
growth alone, a larger portion of tl^is increase being caused by the flesh 
covering over the withers and the deposition of fat in the muscular tis¬ 
sues of the shoulder region. The fat deposit and muscular development 
causes the shoulder blade to be held more rigidly; thus, the body in the 
chest region rises between the shoulder blades, as indicated by the greater 
distance between the withers and the upper border of the shoulder blade. 
The greatest change in the body measurements was the circumference of 
the paunch. This, however, was proportionately less than the increase 
of 7.321 inches in circumference of the hind flank. The fact that the 
distance of chest to ground and hind flank to ground did not show greater 
difference was due to the lowering of the flank by deposition of fat in 
that region and the fat covering over the region of the chest. The region 
15754 °— 17—3 
