76 Veterinary Elements. 



When the ovum is impregnated it is carried to the ute- 

 rus (if impregnation took place in the fallopian tube 1 * and 

 there undergoes the natural course of development, bar- 

 ring accidents, into the young animal. The period taken 

 to ensure such development usually spoken of as the 

 period of gestation, is on the average eleven months in 

 the mare, nine months in the cow, five months in the 

 ewe and she-goat, and four months in the sow. It is 

 quite a common occurrence for any of those animals to 

 run over the time mentioned. 



Essentials to Success in Mating are: Single services by 

 the male, except in exceptional cases, plenty of exercise, 

 liberal diet of flrsh -formers, and maturity; in the female the 

 same apply. Although breeding is possible at puberty, 

 which occurs in horses at one and one-half years, eight 

 to twelve months in bovines, and six to eight months in 

 the sheep and pig, it does not follow that it should be 

 permitted; breeding from immature stock is one of the 

 curses of the livestock industry. 



At the time of mating both animals should be in a 

 healthy condition. Mares are often exercised or bled just 

 before service in order to insure conception. Up-to-date 

 shepherds make a practice of Hushing the ewes, as it is 

 called, by feeding rape, oats, etc., for a short time pre- 

 vious to mating. 



Success in mating depends not on the number of serv- 

 ices, but on the vitality and age of the animals used; 

 domestication has had its effects in the hands of intelli- 

 gent breeders for good, as is seen by the improvement in 

 live stock, and for evil also, judging by the mongrels, 

 such as stallions, bulls, etc., permitted to travel the 



