Excessive moisture, which is mostly observed in flanks, abdomen, under the shoulder blade, and at the brisket, in the order named, is particularly noticeable in the carcasses of old cows or any animal that is ill conditioned. (G. O. 27, W. D., 1904.)

The foregoing statements concerning quality, condition, and sex may be more readily understood from the descriptions in paragraph 2305 and the plates therein referred to.

2304. At each post at which a veterinarian is stationed and which is supplied with fresh beef by local dealers from cattle slaughtered in the vicinity, the commanding officer, whenever in his opinion it is practicable to do so, will cause the veterinarian to inspect the cattle before they are slaughtered and the beef when delivered at the post, with a view to determining whether the contract requirements have been met, and to report in writing to the commanding officer the result of such inspection. These inspections will not be ordered in cases where expense of travel would be involved. (G. O. 28, W. D., 1906.)

2305. All quartermasters and organization commanders are enjoined to give the question of beef inspection their most serious consideration, with a view to preventing fraud on the part of contractors, and for the betterment of the company messes. Unless the officers responsible for the inspection of beef are familiar with the specifications for fresh beef, determination of sex, age, and quality, fraud is sure to ensue, to the manifest detriment of the oganization and corresponding advantage to the contractor.

For "Specifications," see appendix 4.

1. The minimum weight is placed at 500 pounds to insure getting a proper proportion of meat to bone. 2. The specified neck cut is unusual in commercial transactions, and the delivery will generally be made with five or six neck vertebræ left on the carcass unless special attention is paid to this trimming. The neck meat is worth commercially about one-half the contract price for the carcass, and it should not be accepted under any circumstances.

3. The deduction of 24 pounds for the shank of the forequarter and of 34 pounds for the hock (both which were formerly cut off before delivery) is very apt to be overlooked by the contractor unless specially cautioned by the responsible person. Neglect to make the neck and shank trimmings and deductions net the contractor more than $2 a carcass even when the price is as low as 7 cents per pound.

4. By "kidney fat" is meant the fat immediately surrounding the kidneys and does not refer to other suet in the hind quarter.

5. The meat from bulls, stags, and cows is excluded for the reason that it is inferior to that from the steer of the same age and condition. A careful study of those characteristics that definitely determine the differences between these classes of carcasses is necessary in order to protect the interests of the Government and of the companies, and they are clearly shown in the accompanying cuts.

6. Ser. By definition, the bull is the uncastrated male and the stag a male castrated late in life. In practice a bull is castrated when he has served his purpose and economy requires that he should be placed on the market. Being castrated he takes on flesh and fat and brings a better price at the stockyards. As a bull he will rarely fatten under any circumstances, but in either case the flesh is very dark-very conspicuously so and the muscles "stand out" hard and compact, especially on the shanks. In the bull there is almost an entire absence of scrotal fat. The carcass of the bull or stag shows massive shoulders, a thick bulging neck, broad chest, a very round rump, and coarse-grained flesh. His forequarters are relatively larger than his hindquarters. His general make-up is so different from that of the steer that if after careful examination of the carcass a doubt exists as to whether it is a steer or a stag (or bull) the chances are that it is a steer.

Cow and steer carcasses of about the same age, condition, and general appearance are represented in Plates I to VIII.

The cow carcass, Plates I and II: Note, in comparison with the steer, the slender hock and dished-in appearance between the hock and rump; that the exterior fat of the carcass meets the end of the aitchbone at a'; that the inner end of the aitchbone is slightly refused, providing a broader passage for giving birth to calf.

The rump bones at b' are separated in youth, but become solid at about 3 years of age, leaving no lines of demarcation.

The formation at a' can not be greatly altered for the purposes of deception, and this, with the udder, if not cut away, are the positive proofs of sex.

The backbone at c' seems to be relatively weak and is generally broken during cleavage while dressing the carcass. The loin at this point generally presents a dished-in appearance.

The steer carcass, Plates I and III: Note, in comparison with the cow, the large hock, the plump appearance between the hock and rump; that the exterior fat of the carcass is separated from the aitchbone at a by about 2 inches of lean meat, to which a portion of the penis is generally still attached, as shown in the photograph; that the inner end of the aitchbone juts into the passage, narrowing it.

The rump bones at b do not grow together as early as in the cow, and show distinct lines of demarcation up to about 6 years.

The formation at a and the presence of the cod (scrotal fat) are the positive proofs of sex. If the cod has been cut away, it is sufficient cause for rejection, as this is generally done only for the purpose of making the cow and steer carcasses appear so much alike that cow carcasses can be run in on the contract. The backbone at c is firm and the loin near this point straight or plump.

Cow carcass, Plate II: The quarter here represented may be considered as typical of the grade of cow meat generally presented for acceptance. Note the slender hock, the "dished-in" appearance abɔve, the long, straight aitchbone meeting the exterior fat at ø, the broad passage at b, the solid rump at e, the broken back at d, and how the udder has been cut out and skewers put in this point.

Steer carcass, Plate III: Note the typical formation at a, the narrow passage at b, the lines of demar cation between the bones of rump at c, and the lumps of fat at d, forming the cod or scrotal fat. Note also the straight, firm loins in contrast to the weak loin shown at d, in the cow.

Note that in the cow carcass, Plate IV, the hock is relatively delicate and slender, the parts above gener. ally slightly "dished," the hip bone (see arrow point) very prominent, the loin not well filled, and the backbone at this point generally broken. In the steer carcass, Plate IV, note the coarse hock, plump round, the straight hip, plump loin, and straight, firm backbone.

Steer carcass, Plate V: Note that the spines of the dorsal vertebræ are tipped at a with white cartilage called “buttons." In very young animals this cartilage is perfectly white. In the 2-year old animal little red spots appear. At 3 they are more numerous. At 4 little bony islands form. At 5 there is more bone than cartilage. At 6 there is but a narrow strip of white cartilage left surrounding the bone that has formed, but the line of demarcation between "spine" and "button" is distinct. By 9 years of age the button is solid bone and at 12 is of the same color as the bone of the spine. If 6 or older the beef should be rejected.

Note that at the forward end of the breast bone at b solid white cartilage is found. It disappears with age as do the "buttons." There is also a relatively large amount of cartilage between first and second bones of the breast.

The ribs are distinctly curved lengthwise and also in cross section. They extend perpendicularly outward from the backbone at about the fifth vertebræ from the rear.

The knee is coarse.

Cow carcass, Plate V: Note the absence of the "buttons" at a' referred to above. They appear in the heifer as in the steer, but generally disappear entirely between 2 and 3 years of age, leaving no lines of demarcation. If none are present, the quarter should be rejected.

In comparison with the steer there is very little cartilage at b'.

The ribs are straighter than in the steer and quite fat. They begin to bend backward at about the fifth vertebræ from the rear.

The knee is slender.

7. The flesh of bulls and stags is drier than that of steers and cows, and it is used to advantage in bologna and sausages, as when cured it will have taken up and retained more moisture than other classes of beef. As a rule contractors will not now attempt to run in such meat in quantity, but if it is delivered it should be promptly rejected. It is generally tough and unsuited to company use.

8. A steer is a male not full grown and castrated when young, and an ox the corresponding full-grown animal. Generally speaking, we call the meat from the carcass of either "steer meat," and for Army use the only beef delivered should be from such animals from 2 to 6 years of age, excepting only the meat from "spayed heifers," which is occasionally supplied.

9. A spayed heifer is a female from which the ovaries were removed early in life. Cows are sometimes spayed after having had one or more calves, if it is necessary to let them run at large with the herd while preparing them for the market, but if the operation has been performed at all the scar should generally be plainly visible in the left flank (though the ovaries are sometimes otherwise removed).

10. A cow is a female that has had a calf. A maiden heifer is an audit female that has not been allowed to breed.

11. Cows are frequently not placed on the market until much benefit has been derived from them either for dairy or breeding purposes, and consequently they are generally older than steers when slaughtered. If killed within a certain period before or after calving they are considered unfit for food.

12. Generally speaking, a steer produces considerably more flesh to bone than the cow, and the carcass of a steer at the present time brings from 2 to 24 cents per pound more than of a cow in the same condition. This explains the tendency of contractors to run in cow meat whenever it will be accepted.

To illustrate especially the absence of cartilage at a, Plate VI, the bony formation at b, and oblique angle of the ribs to backbone at about the fifth vertebræ from the rear. Four years old.

To illustrate especially the "buttons" of the spines of the back at a, Plate VII, the cartilage at b, just beginning to turn to bone, the perpendicularity of the ribs to the spinal column at about the fifth vertebræ from the rear, and the point c, at which the neck should be trimmed off. Four years old.

To illustrate especially the thin neck A, Plate VIII, of the cow as compared with the thick neck B, Plate VIII, of the steer.

The animal shown in Plate IX was about nine months old. Note the characteristic formation at a, the distinctly separated bones at b, the "buttons" c, amount of cartilage at d, and where the neck is cut off according to contract at e.

13. The accompanying photographs with explanations will render the determination of sex in dressed beef a simple matter.

14. Age and quality.-The age of dressed beef can be estimated by the character of the cartilage tipping the spines of the dorsal vertebræ; by that between the vertebræ throughout the spinal column and in the brisket, sufficiently well to indicate the toughness or tenderness of the beef so as to regulate its acceptance or rejection. When the layers of cartilage between the vertebræ become so tough and hard as to resist the penetration of the point of a skewer of soft pine wood, the quarter should generally be rejected. The eye will note as accompanying this condition a very limited amount of cartilage in the brisket-practi cally none in the cow-the bones of the sacrum will have generally grown into a solid mass, with few or no lines of demarcation between the several vertebræ; the cartilaginous extensions of the spines of the dorsal