INDIVIDUAL MERIT 69 



a lymphatic temperament which is just the reverse of that 

 possessed by dairy breeds and certain types and breeds of 

 light horses. 



Temperament is controlled largely by the development 

 of the nervous system. The breeding of the animal enters 

 into consideration in analyzing this characteristic. A 

 running horse, for example, with a lymphatic temperament 

 would be practically useless on the track and, likewise, one 

 with a highly developed nervous organization would be of 

 little value as a pleasure animal. Generally speaking, the 

 animal which accumulates the energy from the food material 

 on its own body has a comparatively low state of nerve force 

 or development, while one which eliminates the products of 

 energy through milk or high-speed development is char- 

 acterized by a highly developed nervous organization. 



Condition. Condition is a broad term which is used to 

 designate the amount of fat which an animal carries at any 

 particular stage in life. While fat accumulation is not 

 necessarily a requisite of breeding animals, the acquisition 

 of fat is often employed to bring out the ultimate or final 

 effect in an animal. In discussing condition, the two terms, 

 natural flesh and fat, should be clearly differentiated. Natural 

 flesh, to a specified degree, is a requisite of all animals, speak- 

 ing from a broad viewpoint. The term is more particularly 

 used in discussing the flesh merits of cattle. However, it 

 may be very properly applied in a broad way to all animals. 

 Natural flesh or muscle is acquired during the growing stage. 

 Fat may be acquired to a limited extent during the same 

 period. However, it is a natural phenomenon of the matured 

 animal. The two terms, fat and flesh, are often used inter- 

 changeably. However, a clear line of demarcation should 

 be drawn. 



Market Condition. Market condition is significant of the 

 accumulation of fat in placing market or show animals in 

 the best possible condition to sell or show advantageously. 

 While such animals are often fattened to an extreme degree, 

 this is not necessarily significant of overfattening or pam- 

 pered condition. Market animals are put in high condition 

 to improve the quality of the finished product. Show animals 



