184 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



Excess of volume of tlie head, inherited from the father, is 

 frequently observed. Bulls with massive heads are not liked, 

 as experience teaches that the big heads of their calves often 

 give rise to dystokia. 



The excess of volume of the anterior extremity of the body 

 mostly confines itself to an over development of the muscles of 

 the shoulder and pectoral region. Such calves with wide 

 breasts and fleshy shoulders meet with obstacles in the pelvic 

 canal during parturition. 



The so called square buttocks, " Biiren-Hinterer," low 

 German " Barevot," Belgian. "Cul de poulain," Hollandish 

 " Paarden " or " Steenbil," are characterized by an extraordinary 

 development of lumbar and gluteal muscles. The loins and 

 buttocks form a rounded mass, arched on either side of the 

 sacrum, so that its spinous processes lie in a groove. The tail 

 is thin, while the bones of these calves are delicate and fragile. 

 The distance between the external angles of the ilia is not too 

 great, but the width between the trochanters forms a distinct 

 obstacle to parturition. 



By douUe-enders we mean calves with excessive muscular 

 development of the anterior and posterior extremities of the 

 body. They have a short, wide head, short neck, wide breast 

 and fleshy shoulders. Back and loins are strongly muscular, 

 so that the spinous processes lie in a groove. The muscles of 

 the hind legs are greatly developed, the tail is thin. The 

 bony frame of such calves is not proportionately developed to 

 til > muscles, the shin-bones are short, the diaphyses thin. 

 Tliey weigh from 60 to 80 kg. Such a double-ender, when 

 born alive, is usually fattened and may weigh from 100 to 

 120 kg. at an age of eight weeks. During parturition, long, 

 thin legs do not point to an excessively developed calf. But 

 anybody engaged in obstetrics some time recognizes the double- 

 ender at once by its short shin-bones with heavy epiphyses 

 and thin diaphyses, expecting a tedious extraction. 



Course of Parturition. — In anterior presentations, where 

 the head lies upon the fore legs, birth advances until the head 

 and fore legs progress into the vagina as far as the carpi. At 



