128 A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



man who goes to the stock-yards to buy a lot of steers for 

 feeding is at the mercy of the dealers there, unless he has the 

 necessary judgment, not only to know what kind of cattle 

 he wants, but how to sort them 'out. The ability to select 

 wisely the green, untrained colt or promising heifer has 

 enabled more than one man to find what we sometimes call 

 "a diamond in the rough." 



Figure 28. Select the best prospects from a herd of thin yearlings. 

 Photograph from Henry W. Vaughan. 



Many capable live-stock judges in one community would 

 indicate a superior general average of the animals there, with 

 a high valuation from a commercial standpoint. An example 

 of this condition is seen in England and Scotland, where good 

 judges of stock are comparatively common. It is interest- 

 ing to observe, not only that the flocks and herds of those 

 countries are much superior to those of any other country, 

 but that the people of the rest of the world for generations 

 have been sending their gold to England and Scotland to 

 exchange for superior stock. Most of our improved breeds 

 came from Great Britain, and we sent there for them because 

 their merit was seen and appreciated. Suppose the people 

 of some one of our states were to give special attention to 

 the improvement of their live stock, and the study of animal 

 form became popular, what would result? Would there not 

 be a great improvement in the live stock of that state, and 



