Prime Cut Livestock Raising and Meatpacking in the United States, 1607-1983 by Jimmy M. Skaggs

Jimmy Skaggs traces the development of this uniquely American industry from the forest-foraging razorbacks of colonial days to present-day genetic engineering of tender, disease-resistant beef cattle. Included are detailed examinations of seventeenth-century slaughterhouses, the cattle barons of the Great Plains, the birth of conglomerates, the outcry incited by Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the groundswell of organized labor, modern-day inspections, and foreign competition.

"At last someone has written a comprehensive work on one of America's most celebrated industries. Prime Cut, by Jimmy Skaggs, is an all-encompassing study of stock breeding from colonial Jamestown to the present. More than a history of cattle barons, trail drives, and cowboys, this is a story of the 'redmeat industry' in its entirety. Cattle, sheep, swine, goats, even poultry production, all are traced from colonial origins on family farms to contemporary agribusiness. Meticulously researched, the book nearly overwhelms the reader with pertinent facts, numbers, and government reports. . . . The strength of this book lies in its scope and breadth. . . . As a reference for anyone interested in the American livestock and meat-packing industry, the book is invaluable."--Benton R. White, SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

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Prime Cut
+ 1-58544-045-0 paper $18.95s

LC 85-40742. 6x9. 280 pp. Illus. Bib. Index.
Business History. Agricultural Business. Regional.

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