The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-02-19

| prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
A real need in agricultural regions
today is more widespread knowledge
of how to judge live stock properly.
While the judging Of the finest animals
is likely to remain an art in which
relatively few persons can attain the
| highest standing, nevertheless farmers
as whole should be thoroughly famil-
lar with the general principles of judg-
ing stock. knowledge of this sort is
real asset.
The art of judging beef cattle is the
foundation Of all beef-cattle shows,
and also is largely the means of de-
termining the value of cattle offered
In public sales. 1t serves as basis
for every man who buys and raises
cattle to seek Improvement along we'll
recognized forms.
If breeder is not a good judge he
cannot mate individuals SO as to get
the best possible offspring. Knowi-
edge may be obtained through long ex-
perience, but a systematic course In
judging may accomplish the same end
at cost of fewer mistakes and a
much shorter time. If farmer Is
competent judge of feeders. for ex-
ample, he can go to the market and
save the buying charges or commits
sions on deal which otherwise would
have to be handled through commits
sion men.
NH
commercial purposes, 1t is more impor-
tant to study how to judge feeders
than fat cattle. Judging the former
requires more skill than judging the
latter.
Without standards, stock judging
cannot be made success. The small
est cattle owner as well as the man
who owns a large herd needs to be
familiar with the ideal beef type. This
animal, when fat, must have a lew
set body which Is broad, deep and
smooth, with level lines, having
thick, even covering of firm flesh.
Hair, hide and bone of good quality.
together with general character and
style, also serve as an indication OF
the inner parts which cannot be seen.
In learning to Judge beef cattle it
is necessary to become familiar with
the location and names Of the different
parts Of the animal. The names are
similar In all classes Of live stock, and
can be learned easily by referring to
annotated Illustrations or diagrams.
The names of wholesale cuts of the
beef carcass correspond quite closely
to those Of the live animal. the only
difference being that the wholesale car
cass contains fewer parts.
Three Glasses Of Cattle.
From the butchers standpoint, cat
tie may be divided into three classes
fat cattle, feeders and breeding cat
tie. The first comprises animals ready
for the butchers block; the second IL
the unfinished product" and the third
constitutes the class from which the
others are produced. In fat cattle,
one must judge according to what the
cattle are at the time. In feeders, the
animals which give promise Of put
ting on the biggest and cheapest gains,
and developing into the best beef form
when fattened, are the ones desired. In
breeding cattle. the true beef form Is
of prime Importance, but there must
also be assurance that the beef char
acteristics will be transmitted to the
offspring.
judging Fat Cattle and Feeders.
Fat cattle, so-called, include steers
heifers, calves, cows, and bulls. Fat
steers and heifers constitute by far
the largest percentage. Each must
be considered from the butchers
standpoint, the finish and quality Of
flesh being of prime Importance Cat
tie bred especially for beef purposes
have a tendency to produce marbled
meat or to deposit layers of fat
throughout the lean meat, while in
cattle bred exclusively for dairy pur-
poses. the tendency is to deposit a
surplus fat, principally around the in
ternal organs, where II becomes a rel
atively cheap suet and does not tend
70 improve the quality Of the lean
meat. In Judging feeders, II must be
borne in mind that they are "unfin-
ished" cattle, and, therefore do not
have the width and flesh covering of
fat cattle. In general, the same quail
fications apply TO feeders as to fat
cattle, except that certain poi IT'S OF
the score card must be emphasized
and others mlnlmized. The desirable
feeder Is the one that will dress out a
high percentage Of high-priced meats
when finished and slaughtered.
Breeding cattle. first Of all. must