STEER V. HEIFER.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 18 May 1929, Page 19

STEER V. HEIFER.

RELATIVE BEEP QUALITIES. Regular attendants at Addington market have noted frequently the high prices paid for heifer beef in comparison with steer, and possibly wondered if the feminist movement had invaded the fat cattle world. An American investigation has noted the same thing, but at Addington the simple explanation is that the lightweights suit the big bulk of suburban butchers, but the test quoted indicates that there should be no real discrimination against heifer beef in comparison with steer. It is important to analyse the reasons for this discrimination against heifer beef in an effort to determine whether or not it is justifiable (states the investigator). This discrimination exists not only in the mind of the butcher, but also in the mind of the consumer. The consumer has no definite reason- or reasons for preferring steer beef over heifer beef. Ninety-nine per cent, of them could not distinguish between heifer and steer beef in the carcase, in the roaster, or on the table. Yet most of them honestly feel that heifer beef is vastly inferior to Steer beef and refuse to buy it, knowingly, except at a discount. The reasons for the butcher's objection to heifer beef are somewhat more definite, at least in his own mind. He appreciates the disdain of his trade for many retailers who claim that they "cut many retailers who clai mthat they "cut nothing but steers." An inspection of their coolers, however, will reveal at least a slight exaggeration in this respect. The butcher claims that there is more killing fat in a heifer than in a steer of the same finish. He also claims that the heifer carcass is more wasty and cuts out a smaller amount of high priced cuts than the steer carcass. The Illinois Experiment. In an effort to determine the truth of these objections to heifer beef, the University of Illinois last year made a comparison of heifer and steer beef. Ten grade Hereford heifer calves and 10 grade Hereford steer calves were fed a ration of shelled corn, cottonseed meal, silage and alfalfa hay. In order to study the effect of the length of the feeding period upon the carcass, 2 representative heifers weighing 370 pounds and 2 representative steers weighing 688 pounds were slaughtered beginning of the experiment. Five heifers weighing 712 pounds and 3 steers weighing 688 pounds were slaughtered after 140 days of feeding, 5 heifers weighing 822 pounds and 4"steers wefg™ ing 864 pounds after 200 days, and 3

steers weighing 850 pounds after 266 days. The details of the result show that after 140 days "the heifer carcases were as good as the steer carcases at the time." At 200 days "there was no particular difference in grade due to sex." In caso of the calves slaughtered after 140 days of feeding, the average fat content of the heifers was 18 per cent, greater than that of the steers. All, but one of the heifers were fatter than the steers. In the case of the calves slaughtered after 200 days of feeding, the average fat content of the heifers was 5 pes cent, greater than that of the steers. One steer was considerably fatter than his mates. With the exception of this steer, the heifers were all fatter than the steera.

The steers slaughtered at 266 days were about as fat as the heifers killed at 200 days. That is, the heifers reached as high a degree of finish in 200 days as steers on the same ration reached in 266 days. None of the carcases were over done. There were no differences between heifers and steers killed at the same time in the percentages of loin, ribs, round, rump, chuck, shank and plate, in spite of the fact already noted that I many butchers claim that heifer carcases cut less of the high priced cuts. The average percentage of cutting fat (kidney knob and bed fat) was about 10 per cent, greater in the heifers than in the steers. This is in accord with the buteher's idea that heifer carcases cut more waste than steer carcases. However, the actual amount of cutting fat per carcase in the case of the heifers slaughtered after 140 days was only 2 pounds greater than in the steers. In the ease of the 200-day carcases, the heifers contained 2.5 pounds more cutting fat per carcase. The heifers killed at 140 days had 10 per cent, more flank than the steers. In the case of the cattle fed 200 days, the heifer carcases had 30 per cent, more flank than the steer carcases. Since the flank is a very cheap eut and the extra poundage in heifer flanks is waste, this factor is of some importance to the butcher. Assuming carcase beef as worth 25 cents per pound and waste fat at 3.5 cents per pound, we have calculated that the carcases of the steers killed after 140 days of feeding cut out 86 cents per carcase more than the heifers killed at that time, and that the carcases of the steers killed after 200 days of .feeding cut out 2.73 dollars per carcase more than t 8 heifers. In other words, the actual - ference in the cutting value 0 . ■ light careases was less of a. cent, per pound. . In value was a carcases, the difference in a Mn t little more than ® n ® ® mieht he j per pound. These the expected to in "®* se ceased age and j steer carcase wita finish.