CATTLE. 123 



transmit their own valuable properties to their offspring; but he must 

 not trust to this alone, or lie \vill soon run the risk of degeneracy. In 

 animals evincing an extraordinary degree of perfection, where the con- 

 stitution is decidedly good, and there is no prominent defect, a little 

 close breeding may be allowed ; but this must not be injudiciously 

 adopted, or carried too far; for, although it may increase and confirm 

 valuable properties, it will also increase and confirm defects ; and no 

 breeder need be long in discovering that, in an improved state, animals 

 have a greater tendency to defect than to perfection. Close breeding 

 from affinities impairs the constitution and affects the procreative 

 powers, and therefore a strong cross is occasionally necessary." 



The dairy-farmer, however, is less concerned in this high breeding 

 than the grazier; yet he is not by any means indifferent in the matter; 

 for his aim ought to be, to obtain a breed no less valuable as milkers 

 than for their disposition to fatten when the milk is dried. These two 

 qualifications are not to be attained very easily; yet they may be, and, 

 indeed, have been attained, and especially among the improved short- 

 horn breeds, as those of Durham and Yorkshire, or the cross-breeds 

 between the old Shropshire, and the Ilolderness. The breeds most 

 valued in the great dairies around the metropolis are mixed between 

 the Yorkshire, Holderness, and Durham. For quality and quantity of 

 milk they are eminent; they yield, on the average, each cow, two gal- 

 lons of milk at a time, and often nine quarts ; and when dry, they are 

 in general readily fattened for the butcher. 



With respect to the points of symmetry in cattle, of which the vari- 

 ous breeds exhibit several degrees of modification, there are certain 

 rules which are generally acknowledged as applicable to good cattle of 

 all kinds. 



The Bull. — The forehead of the bull should be broad and short, the 

 lower part, that is, the nasal part and jaws, tapering; and the muzzle 

 fine; the ears moderate; the neck gently arched from the head to the 

 shoulders, small and fine where it joins the head, but boldly thickening 

 as it sweeps down to the chest, which should be deep, almost to a level 

 with the knees, with the briskets well developed. The shoulders should 

 be well set, the shoulder-blades oblique, with the humeral joint advanc- 

 ing forward to the neck. The barrel of the chest should be round, 

 without hollowness between it and the shoulders. The sides should be 

 ribbed home, with little space between them and the hips ; the whole 

 body being barrel-shaped, and not flat-sided. The belly should not 

 hang down, being well supported by the oblique abdominal muscles, 

 and the flanks should be round and deep. The hips should be wide 

 and round, the loins broad, and the back straight and flat. The tail 

 should be broad and well-haired, and set on high, and fall abruptly. 

 The breast should be broad; the forearms short and muscular, tapering 

 to the knee ; the legs straight, clean, and fine-boned. The thighs 

 should be full and long, and close together when viewed from behind. 

 The hide should be moderately thin, with a mellow feel, and movable, 

 but not lax; and it should be well covered with fine soft hair. The 

 nostrils should be large and open; the eyes animated and prominent ; 

 the horns clean and white. 



