232 



JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



animal in winter under conditions of exposure. The Here- 

 ford, famous as a beef breed, has a notable quality and 

 thickness of hide which, without doubt, has played an im- 

 portant part in the value of these cattle on the range. 

 The hair is also an important indicator of quality. It 

 should be fine and soft, and if the animal is in good condi- 

 tion, there will often be a lustre or sheen to the hair, indi- 

 cating quality of a 

 high degree. It is 

 not unusual to see 

 an animal in the 

 show ring, where 

 the coat of hair re- 

 flects light to such 

 a striking extent as 

 to make the indi- 

 vidual conspicuous 

 among his compan- 

 ions. In this case 

 there is always 

 a combination of 

 mellow skin and 

 fine, lustrous hair. 

 While this desirable 

 condition is af- 

 fected more or less by certain feeds, such as oil meal for 

 example, it could not be produced without quality of marked 

 degree, naturally occurring in both skin and hair. Fine- 

 ness of hair is associated with thickness of coat also. The 

 greater the number of hairs on a square inch of skin, the 

 thicker and finer will be the coat. The naturally thick, 

 fine covering of hair on the Hereford or Galloway breeds 

 furnish much warmth and protection in winter, as has al- 

 ready been indicated. The length and coarseness of the 

 hair differs according to location on the body. It is finest 

 and shortest about the f orequarters and over the sides, and 

 is coarsest and longest on the upper part of head, along the 



Fig. 126. "Grasped between thumb and fin- 

 gers, the skin of desirable character feels mel- 

 low." 



