?.gb ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



The neck must be examined for yoke galls or swellings, which are 

 often so severe as to incapacitate the animal altogether. 

 Age. y4,i^e. — Bullocks for both siege train and transport are purchased 



between four and six years of age. 



The age is told by the incisor teeth and by the rings on the horns. 

 The upper jaw presents no incisor teeth, but a firm smooth gum, whilst 

 in the lower jaw there are eight incisors, which are naturally somewhat 

 loosely fixed in the gum. 



The whole of the milk teeth may be seen in the mouth of the 

 calf at or shortly after birth, and no change, except such as is due to 

 growth, wear and tear, takes place till the animal is eighteen or twenty 

 months old. 



At this time the central pair of milk teeth drop out and are replaced 

 by the first pair of permanent (broad) teeth. 



The second and third pairs follow rapidly, but the fourth may not be 

 cut till the animal is nearly four years old. 



At first the teeth present broad sharp white edges, and are close 

 together, but as they get worn they show a flat yellow top and get 

 gradually rounder and more separated from each other. 



A five-year old ox will have all his teeth in wear, but while the centre 

 pair show a well-marked flattened table, the corners have only got their 

 edges slightly worn away. 



The age may also be told by counting the rings at the base of the 

 horn and adding two. 



This is a simple method with young cattle, but it need hardly be 

 pointed out that cattle dealers all the world over take care that the 

 horns do not show a large number of rings when they offer cattle for 

 sale. 

 Feeding. Feeding. — ^The digestive apparatus of the ox is in the main like that 



of the camel previously described. There are no " water sacs " attached 

 to the paunch, the second stomach is of simpler pattern and the third 

 more distinctly divided from the fourth. 



The paunch occupies the largest portion of the belly, and, leaving 

 out all unnecessary details, the question of feeding the ox on service 

 resolves itself into giving him sufficient bulky fodder to fill the paunch 

 and allowing him time to chew the cud subsequently. Inability to 

 comply with these requirements, means rapid wastage of ox transport, 

 and nothing will stop it. 



Grain feeding is the rule in India, in addition to bulky fodder, but 

 although it adds to the working power and stamina, it cannot compensate 

 for loss of bulk in the ration. On service, of course it must often be 



