ox SIIORT-IIORN CATTLE. O 



Tiddev in rolls of fat. The Hank slioukl be full and easily 

 found by the unbent fini^'ei's, without having- to lift up the 

 iiank or'^close the iing-ers to find the fat : it should drop into 

 the fing-ers, as it Avere. The buttock is a part that is not 

 handled as a fat point, but should not pass entirely im- 

 noticed, althoug-h in the best-bred short-horns there is little 

 occasion for caution against the black flesh in this part, 

 which some other animals have ; but a Avant of lean flesh is 

 as g-reat an evil as an excess of it: it is necessary, therefore, 

 that there should be great fulness nearly as low as opposite 

 the flank, tapering from thence to the hock: this fulness 

 should be on the inside as well as on the outside of the thig'h, 

 and g-ive a full twist, lining- the division between the hams 

 with a continuous roll of fat to the nest point under the 

 belly. 



Hitherto my observations have been confined to feeding- 

 jjropensities only, without any regard to the dairy. It is 

 notorious, and much to their detriment, that many of the 

 most superior short-horns do not possess that cpuility in an 

 eminent degree. The annual loss to the breeder on each 

 cow is very considerable, when we see that of two cows con- 

 suming- an equal cpumtity of food, one g-ives six gallons of 

 milk per day, and the other gives two only, this loss in milk 

 will require much gain in beef to compensate for it. Cows 

 for the dairy require to be of the same shape, and possessed of 

 the same feeding- propensities as have been attempted to be 

 described above, with the addition of a well-shaped udder. 

 When in full milk, the udder should be capacious and flesh- 

 coloured, vv'ith paps standing- square and at a distance from 

 each other, the hind part to appear as if it proceeded from 

 the twist : and it is the fore |)a}is that g-ive most milk : the 

 milk-veins under the belly should be large and full. There 

 is no test to determine beforeh-and Avhether a cow will g'ive 

 g-ood milk or bad, but it is at all times very essenti-al to rear 

 bulls out of cows that are descended from a tribe of good 

 milkers. 



Having- g-iven a g-ener-al outline of all the points of a g-ood 

 short-horn, there is still the outward contour and character 

 deserving- of notice. On viewing- an animal, all the points 

 described above are brought to our sight at once, and we 

 can almost determine upon their merits at sig-ht, without the 

 more unerring test of the fing-ers. The placid looks, the 

 graceful head, neck, and horns, the straight top, the promi- 

 nent breast, the snug-laid shoulders, the Avide back and hips. 



