180 



BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



ample room for the vital organs. A strong, vigorous con- 

 stitution is very important with all kinds of stock. One 

 must see the character of neck from the side and top, and may 

 easily note the way it joins both head and shoulders. From 

 the side, one notes the placing of shoulders, their slope and 

 smoothness of covering, the blending of the neck with the 

 shoulder at the so-called " shoulder vein," and the spread 



between the blades at the 

 top. The wide spread 

 shoulder top is not desired 

 because it means lack of 

 covering of flesh and indi- 

 cates a narrow floor of 

 the chest. From in front, 

 the fullness of breast, the 

 carriage of brisket, and 

 length of leg are easily 

 seen. The brisket, being 

 the portion that extends 

 forward between the fore- 

 legs, is the sternum proper, 

 and with the best of fat 

 cattle is usually thick and 

 and prominent. Beginning at 

 the brisket, extending up- 

 ward from the front of the 



neck, is a thin fold of skin known as the dewlap, which is 

 undesirable to have in any great amount. As a rule, the 

 dewlap is not prominent on beef cattle, being more in evidence 

 on lighter-fleshed stock, and in certain breeds. The front 

 legs should be short, and the feet stand squarely on 

 the ground, the toes pointing straight ahead. The bone 

 just below the knee, known as the shank, which is termed 



Fig. 103. Inspecting the rump 

 feeling point of rump to note condition. 

 Photograph by he author. 



