CHAPTER V 

 THE MEANS OF MAKING OBSERVATIONS 



76. The eye and the hand. The eye and the hand 

 are the means relied upon for making determinations of 

 animal form and features; the latter usually being em- 

 ployed to supplement the eye or verify what has been seen. 

 The relative importance of the eye and the hand for this 

 purpose will depend upon the sort of stock judged. The 

 eye is almost exclusively depended upon in the judging 

 of hogs, even the firmness of the flesh being ascertained 

 by the lay of the hair. Next in order come horses, it be- 

 ing necessary only to run the hand over the tendons and 

 joints to note their texture and detect possible unsound- 

 ness and to feel condition on the rib. Cattle are regu- 

 larly handled : those of the dairy type to get the thickness, 

 pliability, secretions and looseness of the hide, the amount 

 and texture of the hair, the texture of the udder and the 

 openness of the chine; while beef cattle are handled to 

 determine, in addition to the features of the hide and hair 

 already enumerated, the thickness, consistence and even- 

 ness of the covering of flesh. Sheep have their form so 

 obscured by the fleece and the fleece is often so cleverly 

 trimmed as to require most careful handling in order to 

 become informed of the details of mutton form and con- 

 formation. Handling is also necessary in the examination 

 of the fleece. In fact, in the case of the sheep the hand is 



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