232 AGE BY THE TEETH AND HORNS GESTATION. 



all renewed, are of good length, whitish and even, 

 and the beast is full mouthed. From that period, 

 as in the horse, the teeth are gradually filling up, 

 until six years, when the mark is complete. The 

 teeth afterwards become discolourd by age, some- 

 times long and irregular. 



The HORNS, at three years of age, are shed and 

 replaced by others, which continue. The indica- 

 tions of age from the horns are as follows in the 

 fourth year of the bullock's age, a ring appears, en- 

 circling the base of the horn. In the course of the 

 year this ring moves, being pushed forward by 

 another which succeeds, and the process continues 

 to the end of the animal's life, its years being deter- 

 minable by the number of these rings upon the 

 horns, three years being reckoned for the first ring. 

 It is common with cow-dealers to dress up the beast 

 for sale, by shaving the horns, and thereby conceal- 

 ing the age. Indeed the mouth remains as an 

 index, but who but an adept can adroitly lay hold 

 of the animal's horns, and put its head in a pos- 

 ture proper for inspecting the teeth ? Thence our 

 advice to unprofessional, never to purchase without 

 the presence and assistance of a practical man. 



Period of GESTATION in the cow, according to an 

 average, two hundred and eighty seven days, or forty 

 one weeks, with a bull-calf; a cow-calf comes a 

 week sooner. The cow's desire for the bull, every 

 three weeks of the season, should be particularly 

 attended to, so that her milk may be renewed. 

 These animals are extremely liable to abortion, and 

 should be kept from alarm, as much as possible, and 



