CATTLE. 159 



"In 2:cncral, the means employed by farmers to obtain the best pos- 

 sible price for old cows, beyond beina; useful, or, to use a commercial 

 term, not merchantable, is to bring them to the bull, intending- that 

 gestation shall give them more suitable plumpness, so that they may be 

 sold on more advantageous terms to the butcher; but does this state of 

 fictitious embonpoint or fatness, render the flesh of these beasts better ? 

 Assuredly not. It is merely bloated, flabby flesh, livid, and which 

 easily taints. Broth made from it is not rich, is without flavor, and 

 without an agreeable smell; the lean and fat are in a measure infiltrated 

 with water, and are consequently of bad quality and very difficult sale. 

 These causes ought then to determine farmers to adopt the advice we 

 give : they, as well as the butcher and the consumer, will derive very 

 great advantage from it. 



" As our method of operating may be slightly diflferent from that 

 pointed out by our colleague, M. Levrat, we will describe that which we 

 practice. 



" Having covered the eyes of the cow to be operated upon, we place 

 her against a wall provided with five rings firmly fastened, and placed 

 as follows : the first corresponds to the top of the withers; the second 

 to the lower anterior part of the breast ; the third is placed a little dis- 

 tance from the angle of the shoulder; the fourth is opposite to the 

 anterior and superior part of the lower region, and the fifth, which is 

 behind, answers to the under part of the buttocks. We place a strong 

 assistant between the wall and the head of the animal, who firmly holds 

 the left horn in his left hand, and with his right, the muzzle, which he 

 elevates a little. This done, we pass through and fasten the end of a 

 long and strong plaited cord in the ring which corresponds to the lower 

 part of the breast ; we bring the free end of the cord along the left 

 flank, and pass it through the ring which is below and in front of the 

 withers; we bring it down along the breast behind the shoulders and 

 the angle of the fore-leg to pass it through the third ring ; from there, 

 we pass it through the ring which is at the top of the back; then it 

 must be passed around against the outer angle of the left hip, and we 

 fasten it, after having drawn it tightly to the posterior ring by a simple 

 bow-knot. 



" The cow being firmly fixed to the wall, we place a cord, fastened 

 by a slip-noose around its hocks, to keep them together in such manner 

 that the animal cannot kick the operator; the free end of the cord and 

 the tail are held by an assistant. The cow, thus secured, cannot, dur- 

 ing the operation, move forward, nor lie down, and the veterinary sur- 

 geon has all the ease desirable, and is protected from accident. 



" M. Levrat advises that an assistant should hold a plank or bar of 

 wood obliquely under -the teats and before its limbs to ward off" the 

 kicks; but this method is not always without danger, both to the oper- 

 ator and the animal, because, at the commencement, that is, when the 

 surgeon makes the incision through the hide and the muscles, the cow 

 makes such sudden movements, and tries so frequently to strike with its 

 left hind foot, that it may happen that upon every movement, the plank 

 or the bar may be struck against the operator's legs. On the other 

 hand, although the defense may be firmly held by the assistant, yet it 



