Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-07-05
ny J. L. ToRMEY,
IseonsIn COLLEGE Of AarIeaIture.

Wisconsin College of Agriculture.
The block is the supreme and final
test of the beef animal. The butcher
desires an animal that win deliver the
highest percentage of good cuts re-
finement in parts that are not edible,
In order TO reduce waste. Fineness of
bone, lack of pauncl4tness and a small
head are thus desired by the butcher.
but the sseer with light bone, small
paunch and frail head would be
unable TO go through the feeding perl
cd and make economical gains.
Even though the strong, vigorous.
capacious feeder may not turn out at
the finish into the exact ideal of the
butcher, he is the one that puts on the
largest and steadiest gains, endures
feeding for the longest time, finally
finishes out with the greatest weight,
and yields the highest percentage Of
prime beef.
In selecting feeders, there is per
haps no point more important than
the back. A wide, straight, strong
back, with well sprung rib, is essen
tial (See Figure 81 The girth of the
steer should be large--that is, the dis
lance around the body of the shoulder
should be as large as possible. This
means more room for vital organs and
insures a better constitution than is
otherwise likely to prevail Associ
ated also with a large girth is a well
sprung rib, making wide back on
which there is room for the deposit
ton of large quantity of high priced
meat. There is also greater depth of
chest and greater digestive capacity
with large girth. (See Figure H.
The head is an excellent index to
the character of the feeder. because
there is relationship between the
different parts of an animals body
The steer with a wide head is usually
a good feeder, for wide head goes
with a capacity for putting on a large
amount of flesh Usually the steer
with a wide head will grow through
the body and wide across the back
Width of muzzle Is also important be-
cause It indicates capacity for feed
consumption and for good breathing
The eye should be prominent, clear,
and placid, indicating health, and a
quiet disposition. which is desirable in
an animal destined Is take on flesh
Although the neck is not a choice
cut, 1t is thick and short on good
steer. accompanying thick body. A
compact body is necessity in a good
feeder and usually accompanies a.
short. thick neck.
The brisket, which is the ilesh coy.
ering the point of the breast bone be-
tween the fore legs, is not choice
meat but on the well-built steer ii is
well let down and has good width,
thus conforming TO the general thick
ness throughout and helping to com
plete the parailelogramic form desired
In the good feeder (Study Figure -
The shoulder should be evenly Gov
cred, compact, and wide at the top.
While width Of shoulders at the top
is a mark of q good feeder, steers
with extremely wide shoulders should
not be selected for they are usually
coarse and have unduly prominent hip
points. The shoulder should blend
smoothly with the neck, leaving no
crease or definite line where the neck
and shoulder meet This imaginary
boundary line between the shoulder
and the neck is known as the shoulder
vein" The expression, "a full shoul-
der vein" means that the neck and
he shoulder are well blended. To,
ward the rear. the shoulder should
blend wei! into the back and gides Of
the animal 50 that there is no ten.