CHAP. iv. SELECTION OF BULL. 107 



in his herd ; yet many neglect this important point on the plea of extra 

 trouble. It is not trouble, but method, which results in profit, not 

 only because it enables the owner to draft out inferior milkers, which 

 leave only a small margin of profit beyond the cost of food, but because 

 a good milk record enhances the market-value of the animal." 



The late Professor Tanner gave the following as points of a well- 

 developed bull. 



" The head should be rather small in proportion to the animal, and 

 well set on the neck, with a fine tapering muzzle, a broad forehead, 

 bright, full, yet placid eyes, furnished with a graceful horn of fine 

 quality, and ears small and fine. 



" The neck should be thick, but not too short, having a graceful 

 appearance by tapering steadily towards the head, and yet not getting 

 thin behind the ears. 



" The shoulder should be snugly set in the carcass ; it should be 

 covered with a well-developed muscle down to the knee, below which it 

 should possess a fine and flat bony structure. 



" The chest should be bold and prominent, wide and deep, furnished 

 with a deep but not a coarse dewlap. 



" The carcass should be barrel-shaped, having a top level and broad, 

 especially across the hips ; the ribs should be well rounded ; the space 

 between the last rib and the pin should not be too short ; } r et at the 

 same time we must guard against too much length; there will, how- 

 ever, be little cause for objection, if the rib is well rounded, and the 

 bone flat, for it will add weight to the animal in a good part. The 

 flank should be full and pendent. 



" The hind legs should be full and fleshy down to the hock, with a 

 well- developed buttock, showing great substance, but below the hock 

 we require a fine and cleanly formed bone. 



" The tail should be finely formed without much hair. 



" The hide mellow to the touch, covered with a fine yet plentiful coat 

 of hair." 



The following remarks are by the late Mr. Edward Bowly, of 

 Siddington, the. well-known Shorthorn breeder : 



" In the selection of a bull, so much depends on the character of the 

 female he is required for that it is almost impossible to lay down a rule 

 on paper. To secure, however, a decidedly masculine character, it is 

 better he should be too coarse than too fine. The man who at present 

 possesses an ordinary herd of cows has a very simple course to pursue. 

 If he will procure a well-descended bull from any improved breed, he 

 will make great advance ; even if the bull is not a first-rate animal 

 himself, the offspring will partake most of the character of the purest 

 and oldest blood, on whichever side it may be. The produce of a pure 

 bull and an ordinary cow will often surpass in many points the high- 

 bred sire ; but it would be wrong to use a cross-bred bull, even if he 

 were very good, for his stock would almost invariably be inferior to 

 himself. 



" In proof of the general result of using a pure-bred sire, I knew a 

 man who began breeding with a very inferior herd of cattle, the greater 



