THE BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY 



421 



or permit handling. Various devices 

 have been used, including a chute and 

 other means of confining the animals, 

 and formerly they were thrown by means 

 of ropes and shod while held down. It 

 is obviously necessary to use two semi- 

 circular shoes for each hoof, since other- 

 wise the play between the two parts of 

 the hoof would be prevented. Oxen 

 show no tendency to the development 

 of corns, contraction of the hoof or ten- 

 derness of the frog, as in horses. Each 

 half of the shoe may be fastened by three 

 nails on the outer edge. It is customary 

 to have both the upper and lower sur- 

 faces of the shoe smooth, without calks. 

 The shoes on the hind feet are usually 



made thinner than those in front; in 

 fact, some farmers only shoe the fore 

 feet. 



In the early history of Europe nearly 

 all of the horses were required for war 

 purposes and it was also considered quite 

 beneath the dignity of a horse to do any 

 common farm labor. The ox was there- 

 fore used almost exclusively for this 

 purpose. Our modern systems of farm- 

 ing and transportation, however, re- 

 quire more speed and also animals which 

 are more amenable to discipline. These 

 desiderata have been found in the horse 

 and at the same time a more profitable 

 use for the beef animal has been found 

 in the production of meat. 



