1020 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



small space to the hips or hooks, the whole forming a round or barrel-like carcass ; his hips should be 

 wide placed, round, or globular, and a little higher than the back ; the quarters from the hip to the rump 

 long, and instead of being square, as recommended by some, they should taper gradually from the hips 

 backward, and tlie turls or pott-bones not in the least protuberant ; rump close to the tail, the tail broad, 

 well haired, and set on so high as to be in the same horizontal line with his back. Bulls should be con- 

 stantly well fed, and kept in proper enclosures, never being suffered to ride before they are three years 

 old, as when the contrary is the practice they never attain so perfect a growth. It is observed by Law- 

 rence, that the above description delineates that barrel-shape which Bakewell supposed most advan- 

 tageous for all kinds of animals intended to be fed for slaughter, or even used for labour. 



6810. The criteria of excellence in neat cattle in general are thus given by John Wilkinson of Linton, 

 near Nottingham, an eminent breeder. {Remarks on Cattle, ^c. 1820.) *' The head ought to be rather 

 long, and muzzle fine ; the countenance calm and placid, which indicates a disposition to get fat; the 

 horns fine; the neck light, particularly where it joins the head; the breast wide and projecting well before 

 the legs ; the shoulders moderately broad at the top, and the joints well in, and when the animal is in 

 good condition, the chine so full as to leave no hollow behind it ; the fore flank well filled up, and the 

 girth behind the shoulders deep ; the back straight, wide, and flat ; the ribs broad, and the space between 

 them and the hips small; the flank full and heavy; the belly well kept in, and not sinking low in the 

 middle, but so formed that a cross section of it would resemble an oval, whose two ends are of the same 

 width, and whose form approaches to that of a circle, or of an ellipsis whose eccentricity is not great (the 

 whole forming, not a round or barrel. like carcass as some have expressed it, for this would leave a defi- 

 ciency both in the upper and lower part of the ribs) ; the hips globular, wide across, and on a level with 

 the back itself; the hind quarters, that is, from the hips to the extremity of the rump, long and straight ; 

 the rump points fat, and coming well up to the tail ; the twist wide, and the seam in the middle of it so 

 well filled that the whole may very nearly form a plane perpendicular to the line of the back ; the lower 

 part of the thigh small ; the tail broad and fat towards the top, but the lower part thin ; the legs straight, 

 clean, and fine-boned ; and when the animal is in high condition, the skin of a rich and silky appearance. 

 These appear to be the most material points for the formation of true symmetry in cattle : there are others 

 of a minor consideration, which will readily be suggested by attention and experience." 



6811. The criteria of an ox tcell adapted to labour differ from the above only in requiring long and 

 strong legs, and broad harily feet and hoofs. 



6812. The criteria of a beautiful cow, according to Wilkinson, may be thus expressed : 



She's long in her face, she's fine in her horn, 

 bfoori?. f^^J jfvfi" -.!'. HShe'll quickly get fat, without cake or corn, 

 '>"irtwiftW'?fr '^>'">'y She's clear in her jaws, and full m her chine, 

 i,g| fit ' - '" SJie's heavy in flank, and wide in her loin. 



vj If. She's broad in her ribs, and long in her rump, 



705 ii .., - . -, A straight and flat back, with never a hump ; 



Hi sniwo t'rtjd V ;.jm "'She's wide in her hips, and calm in her eyes, 



i ^^&tii^i 9tW .riJwoig lliuShe's fine in her shoulders, and thin in her thighs. 



'jqsw'io f9'imi/ii jbots iShe's light in her neck, and small in her tail, 

 it 9Ai i'MiEt^ "Jo w.yJiJf. She's wide in her breast, and good at the pail, 

 5 no C . visb u.UT ~ -ffh She's fine in her bone, and silky of skin, 

 iV) She's a grazier's without, and a butcher's within. 



^13. Culley''s marlcs of a good cotv are these: Wide horns, a thin head and neck, dewlap large, flill 

 breast, broad back, large deep belly ; the udder capacious, but not too fleshy ; the milk-veins prominent, 

 and the bag tending far behind ; teats long and large, buttocks broad and fleshy, tail long and pliable, legs 

 proportionable to the size of the carcass, and the joints short. To these outward marks may be added a 

 gentle disposition, a temper free from any vicious tricks, and perfectly manageable on every occasion. On 

 the Qther hand, a cow with a thick head and a short neck, prominent back-bone, slender chest, belly 

 tucked up, small udder or fleshy bag, short teats, and thin buttocks, is to be avoided as totally unfit 

 for the purposes either of the dairy-man, the suckler, or the grazier. The most valuable cows are those 

 which are bred in Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and upon the strong lands in other part of England, and in 

 Ayrshire in Scotland, 



681 1. The crit^-ria of excellence in cattle, as derived fro?n colour, are of no importance; and all that can 

 be said is, that white and red cattle are less hardy than the black-haired. 



,6815. The criteria qfage in cattle are derived from the teeth and horns. At the end of about two years 

 they shed their first four teeth, which are replaced by others, larger, but not so white ; and before five 

 years all the incisive teeth are renewed. These teeth are at first equal, long, and pretty white ; but, as 

 the animals advance in years, they wear down, become unequal, and grow black. These animals, according 

 to some, likewise shed their horns at the end of three years ; and they are replaced by other horns, which, 

 like the second teeth, continue; this, however, is totally or partially denied by practical men, and our 

 stateiiVent of it as a fact without qualification has been objected to in the "American Farmer," 

 The manner of the growth of these horns is not uniform, nor the shooting of them equal. The first 

 year, that is, the fourth year of the animal's age, two small-pointed horns make their appearance, 

 neatly formed, smooth, and towards the head terminated by a kind of button. The following year 

 this button moves from the head, being impelled by a horny cylinder, which, lengthening in the same 

 manlier, is also terminated by another button, and so on ; for the horns continue growing as long as the 

 animal lives. These buttons become anixular joints or rings, which are easily distinguished in the horn, 

 and by which the age of the creature may be easily known ; counting three years for the point of the 

 horn, and one for each of the joints or rings. The cow continues useful for more than twenty years, but 

 the bull loses his vigour much sooner. It is common with dealers to obliterate these rings, by shaving 

 the horns, in order to conceal the age of the beast. 



6816. The terms applied to different ages are as follows : A young castrated male, after the first year, 

 is called a stirk; when a year older, a stot, or steer ; at five years old, an ox. A female, after the first 

 year, is called a heifer, or quey ; when about to bring a calf, she is called a young cow. A castrated 

 female is called a spayed heifer. Certain of the Welsh and Scots cattle, of rather a coarse and sturdy 

 kind, are denominated runts. Bullock is the general term for any full-grown male cattle, fat or leaa 



6817. Tlie natural duration of life with the bull and cow may be stated at upwards of twenty years, 

 to nearly the end of which the latter is useful with her milk, but the former generally loses his vigour, 

 consequently Jiis use,_many years sooner. 



; & "iSttii Hit (fib & >J 10 nnn ii. .' 



, ., SUiBSECT. 3. Breeding of Horned Cattle, 



6818. The objects to be kept in view in breeding cattle are, forms well adapted for fattening, for producing 

 milk, or for labour. These three objects haveeachof them engaged the attention of British agriculturists; 

 but experience has not hitiierto justified the expectation that has been entertained of combining all these 

 desirable properties, in an eminent degree, in the same race. That form which indicates the property of 

 yielding the most milk, differs materially from that which we know from experience to be combined with 

 early maturity and tlie most valuable carcass ; and the breeds which are understood to give the greatest 



