i ATTLE. 



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and strong for Ubour M the preceding breed. If prejudice (lid ii"t 

 make UM -breeders select the ohres with large bone and coarse features 

 to rear a* built, in preference to tho*e which resemble the cows, this 

 breed would soon equal our beat abort-horns. The cows are fre<iuently 

 fattened while still in milk, and are fit for the butcher by the time 

 they are dry ; the same system is followed by the great milkmen in the 

 neighbourhood of London, with their Urge Holderness cows. This 

 breed is much esteemed in all the northern ports of Europe. The 

 Friuland, Oldenburg, Danzig, and Tilsit cattle are mostly varieties of 

 thu short-horned breed. 



Towards the Alps the cuttle hare a different character ; they are 

 strong and active, and can range wider in search of (Hiature. The 

 largest and finest breed is the Swiss, especially the Freyburg race, 

 which is found in the rich pastures between the mountains in the 

 neighbourhood of Greyer* (Umyeres), a place well known for its 

 excellent cheese, which* is consumed all over Eurojie. The cows, which 

 are here the principal object of attention, are large and wide in the 

 and strong in the horn (we should rank them in England 

 j the middle-horns), short and strong in the bone, with n promi- 

 i at the root of the tail, which, according to our notions, would be 

 considered a great blemish. They give abundance of rich milk when 

 ranging in their native Al|, or when stalled and fed with clover or 

 lucern in the stables. The oxen work well, but are rather heavy and 

 slow. When fed off they fatten well ; and although fat meat is not 

 much prized there, some carcases may be seen slaughtered in Bern and 

 Freyburg which are equal to those in the best English markets. 



There is a smaller, but very active mountain breed of cattle in the 

 Jura, which does well on scanty food. The cows are small and slight, 

 generally of a light red colour. The oxen are very active and strong 

 for their 'size. They draw invariably by the horns. They are not 

 considered so profitable for stall feeding as the larger, but they are 

 excellent for the small cottagers on the borders of the mountains, 

 and find their sustenance among the wood* and rocks, where they climb 

 like goats. 



The Norman breed gives the character to all the cattle usually met 

 with in the northern part of France, except near the Rhine. They are 

 mostly of a light red colour, sometimes spotted with white. Their 

 horns are short, and stand well out from the forehead, turning u]> with 

 a black tip ; the legs fine and slender ; the hips high, and the thighs 

 thin. The cows are good milkers, and the milk is rich. They are in 

 general extremely lean, which is owing in a great measure to the scanty 

 food they gather by the sides of roads, and along the grass balks which 

 divide the fields. In Normandy itself they have good pastures, 

 and the cattle are larger and look better. The Aldeniey and Jersey 

 breeds, which from the extreme richness of their milk are much 

 prized in gentlemen's dairies in England, are smaller varieties of 

 the Norman, with shorter horns, more turned in, and a still more 

 deer-like form. 



The Italian breeds are not very remarkable, except from the im- 

 mense length of the horns of some of them. No great pains are taken 

 to improve them, except in some parts of the north of Italy, where the 

 Fumesan cheese is manufactured : there they resemble the Swiss 

 breed, and are probably only varieties of the same stock. 



The different British and Irish breeds have have been generally dis- 

 tinguished from each other by the length of the bom. The long- 

 horned breed is supposed by many to be indigenous. Others con- 

 sider the middle-horned as the old breed. The former was chiefly 

 found in a district of Yorkshire called Craven, and was greatly 

 improved by the skill of Robert Bokewell, of Dishley Farm, in 

 Leicestershire, and hence they are called the Dishley breed. The dis- 

 tinguishing character of this breed are long horns growing downwards 

 from the side of the head and ending in straight points parallel to the 

 jaw. In order to give an adequate idea of the <|tialities of this im- 

 proved breed, we must consider what breeders and graziers call the 

 taapwHtt of an ox. These are certain forms and appearances, which 

 are either anatomically connected with a perfect conformation of the 

 body, and especially of the organs of respiration and of digestion, or 

 which are so constantly associated with the peculiar qualities of certain 

 breeds, as to be proofs of their purity. Of the first kind are a wide 

 chest, well formed barrel, strong and straight spine, hip bones well 

 separated, and length of quarter, all which can be proved to be 

 essential to the perfect functions of the body. Small and short bonex 

 in the legs give firmness without unnecessary weight. A thick skin 

 well covered with hair ensures proper warmth, and its soft loose feel 

 indicates a good coat of cellular substance underneath, which will 

 readily be filled with deposited fat. All these are indisputable ]'inN 

 in an ox which in to I w profitably fatted, anil whatever be the breed, 

 they will always indicate sujicriority. Other |K>inU, such as colour, 

 form of the horn*, of the head, and extremities, the setting on of the 

 Uil, with other particulars, are only essential in HO for as experience 

 has observed them in the best breeds, and as they arc indications of 

 pure blood. The eye is of great importance; it should be lively -ni'l 

 mild, indicating a healthy circulation, with a gentle and almost bid '''"' 

 temper. An animal that is not easily disturln-d will fatten rapidly, 

 while one that u rertUss and impatient will never acquire flesh. 

 Amongst the ancieuU, a deep dewlap was considered as a great beauty 

 in an ox. In some of our best breeds there is scarcely any. The 

 nitnp of the Freyburg cows, ax we observed before, rises high towards 



the tail ; while a straight back from the neck to the tail is indispensable 

 in a well-bred British ox. 



Having established a breed which has many superior qualities, 

 attention is paid to maintain its purity; and to those who cannot 

 ascertain the parentage, certain marks are satisfactory proof of purity 

 of blood. The new Leicester long-horn oxen were noted for the 

 smallness of the bone and their aptitude to fatten. Their flesh was 

 fine-grained, the fat being well intermixed in the muscles. At the 

 time when Bakewell died, about 1 7U5. no other breed could be brought 

 into competition with his improved long-horns. But whetl, 

 successors hare not paid the same attention to keep up the qualities of 

 the breed, or it has degenerated in comparison, they have since lost 

 much of their reputation, and the short-horned breed has now the 

 superiority. Good long-horned cattle are, however, occasionally seen 

 in the midland counties. One defect of the breed was, that the cows 

 gave but little milk, and this may be the reason for now preferring 

 the short-horns. The Teeswater or Holderness breed of cattle was 

 produced by the importation of cows from HoUtein or Holland, and 

 careful breeding and crossing. They now much excel the original 

 stock. The principal improver of the Teeswater breed was Mr. Charles 

 Collins. By his care a breed has been produced which is uiii 

 for the dairy, and for fattening readily. Almost every good breed now 

 in existence traces its pedigree to his bulls, especially one of the first 

 he used, called 1/ublnck. The famous ox exhibited fifty years ago, 

 under the name of the Durham ox, was of this breed. By careful 

 crossing with a Galloway cow, an improved breed was produced, which 

 was in such repute that at a sale of Mr. Collins's stock of short-horns, 

 October 11, 1810, a famous bull, called Comet, sold for 1000 guineas, 

 and 48 lots of bulls, cows and calves realised 7115V. 17". Subsequent 

 sales have proved that the estimation in which the breed is held 

 has not fallen since Charles Collins's time. Thus the late Earl of 

 Ducie's herd a few years ago, fetched 8lt 16. for 62 head, or 

 1501. 199. a piece ; and though so large a price cannot be quoted in any 

 other case, yet every year there are sales at which bull au<l i 

 calves fetch upwards of 100/. The short-horn cattle are mostly light 

 coloured, some quite white, but most are speckled with red and white, 

 without any large distinct spots. The horns are very short. In the 

 cow. the points turn inwards towards each other. Some of the finest 

 bulls have merely a tip of a horn standing out from each aide of the 

 forehead. In the carcase they have every point which we have before 

 enumerated as essential to perfection. 



Besides the two breeds above mentioned, there are several in great 

 repute in particular districts, which almost dispute the superiority 

 with the short-horns. Of these the Devonshire breed is the hand- 

 somest. The colour of this breed is invariably red, with a very fine 

 head, small bone, and glossy hide. The oxen, although not so heavy 

 as some, ore the best for the plough on light lands ; they walk nearly 

 as fast as horses, and will work almost as well in pairs. The cows are 

 good milkers, any deficiency in quantity being made up by the rich- 

 ness of the cream. The oxen fatten readily, and their flesh is of the 

 best quality. 



The Sussex breed is only distinguished from the Devon by being 

 rather stronger, ami not so fine in the head and horn. 



The Herefordshire breed is larger and heavier than either of the 

 preceding, the horns longer and more turned outwards ; the colour in 

 red, but the belly and the face are generally white, and there is often 

 a white stripe along the bock. This breed has many excellent quali- 

 ties, and fattens well ; but the cows are of little use for the dairy, 

 from the small quantity of milk they yield. The Herefordshire oxen 

 are best suited to the rich postures of their native county, where they 

 grow to a great size and increase fast. These are the principal English 

 breeds. Of the Welsh breeds, the Glamorganshire cows are in good 

 repute for the dairy ; they are of a dark brown or black colour with a 

 white stripe along the back, long white horns pointing rather forwards 

 and upwards ; the tail is set on rather high above the back, which is 

 thought a defect, but in this they are much exceeded by the Freyburg 

 cows mentioned above, which have great merit notwithstanding. The 

 .itli.'i Wel-h breeds are distinguished chiefly by their hardy constitu- 

 tions, which they owe to their having been bred in mountainous 

 districts. Great droves of them come to all the English fairs; tln-ii 

 low price and small expense of keep render them an object worthy 

 the attention of cottagers and small farmers ; they are best calculated 

 to run on rough heaths and commons. 



The principal indigenous Scotch breeds are the West Highland, the 

 Galloway, the Angus, and the Shetland. There is a doubt whet In r the 

 Ayrshire should be classed amongst the pure Scotch cattle. Their 

 great resemblance to the short-bom in all lmt the >/.< l<-ad* n> << 

 suppose that they are a cross of a smaller l>n-e<l l,\ a short-horn bull, 

 but they have very good qualities, and are excellent for the dairy or 

 for stalling. 



A great many cattle are bred in the various islands which lie on th. 

 western coast of Scotland. They are mostly of a small black or dun- 

 coloured breed, called Kyloes. They are very hardy, ami when brought 

 into good pasture, fatten rapidly, and produce the finest and best- 

 flavoured beef. They are found in the greatest perfection in tl, 

 of Skye, and are sent annually in large droves from their native i 

 and dispersed through Scotland and England. They are particularly 

 in request in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where they are wintered on 



