THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 63 



the capacity of the breed for acquiring, at the least expense of 

 food, and at the earliest age, such a condition as the public 

 demand really renders necessary. 



Having so far sketched a rapid outline of the ox of our 

 islands in former times, when agriculture was practised 

 rudely, and little winter fodder, or none, stored up, of the 

 old stocks, time-immemorial occupants of their peculiar dis- 

 tricts, and of the recent improvements which have tended to 

 raise our horned cattle generally to so high a degree of ex- 

 cellence, it will be necessary, before entering more circum- 

 stantially into the characters of our principal breeds, and 

 their points of distinction, to give a list of the technical names 

 applied by the farmer to neat cattle of different ages, and of 

 different sex. 



The general name of the male of neat cattle* is Bull : 

 during the time he sucks he is called a bull-calf, until turned 

 of a year old ; he is then called a stirk or yearling bull ; and 

 and then, in order, a two, three, or four year old bull, until 

 six: he is then said to be aged. When emasculated he is 

 called an ox- calf, or stot-calf until one year old, when he 

 takes the name of stirk, stot, or yearling ; on the completion 

 of his second year he is called a two years old steer, and in 

 some counties a twinter, then a three years old steer, and at 

 four, an ox, or a bullock, which latter names are continued. 

 We may here remark that the term ox is often used as a ge- 

 neral or common appellation for neat cattle, in a specific 

 sense ; as the British ox, the Indian ox, and that irrespective 

 of sex. The female is termed Cow ; but while sucking the 

 mother, a cow-calf; at the age of a year she is called a year- 

 ling quey, in another year a heifer or twinter, then a three 

 years old quey or heifer, and at four years old a cow. These 

 appear to be the terms in general use, but others, to be 

 regarded perhaps as provincialisms, may prevail in some 

 districts. 



Let us now proceed with the breeds of British cattle. The 

 subject demands a separate chapter 



* " Neat," from neac, Saxon, (not French " net " clean, neat,) all kind of 

 beeves, as ox, cow, heifer, &c. Neathypb, neatherd, a keeper of beeves. 



