LECTURE IV. 



JUDGING CATTLE. 



Methods of Procedure. 



In judging fat cattle it is well to follow some definite 

 plan of procedure, in order that the work may be done rapidly 

 yet accurately and with justice to each exhibitor, or in order 

 that the buyer may form a definite idea of the animal without 

 a loss of time. 



The plan followed by many of the most successful judges 

 is about as follows: The cattle are arranged in line. The 

 judge then starts at one end of the line and works over each 

 animal in turn. He approaches from the front, and studies 

 the animal critically, observing the general characteristics 

 of the head, noting whether it is typical of the breed repre- 

 sented; he also notices the manner in which the shoulders 

 join the body, the spring of rib, and the width of the animals 

 in chest and throughout the body. (Fig. 5 No. 1.) 



It very often happens that an animal appears wider in 

 the chest than is really the case. This is usually due to 

 prominent shoulders, and the careful judge always notices 

 whether there is a slack heart girth back of the shoulders. 

 Having completed the inspection from the front, he steps to 

 one side preferably 10 or 12 feet away and observes the 

 straightness of the top and bottom lines, the low-setness of 

 body and the depth of chest and of body throughout, with 

 particular reference to the depth through the body from loin 

 to flank. The length of rump, width of the hip, and width of 

 thigh are also observed. (Fig. 5 No. 2.) Next from the 

 rear view the compactness of shoulder, spring of ribs, width 

 of loin, smoothness at hook points and width of rump is 

 closely observed; also the width through at the hips and 

 thighs. (Fig. 5 No. 3.) 



