VI PREFACE 



significance. These are brought out mainly in the first 

 five chapters deahng with the methods and practices and 

 general principles applicable to the judging and selection 

 of all classes of live stock. In the fifth chapter information 

 is included relative to important factors or problems of the 

 individual, the breeds and the selection of the same, other- 

 wise than by an external examination on which student and 

 show ring judging is necessarily based. One chapter is 

 devoted to the jack, jennet, and mule, since the latter has 

 become of great economic importance and former discus- 

 sions of the subject have been incomplete. 



A complete and convenient reference to breed descrip- 

 tions through photographs and concise breed characteristics 

 is included and supplemented with the latest standard of 

 excellence and scale of points of each of the important breeds. 

 Market and show ring considerations are discussed fully 

 because of the tendency toward the more practical phases 

 of commercial or market live stock judging. The additions 

 include a number of the newer breeds of live stock which 

 have recently come into prominence and therefore deserve 

 comment. 



The material included herein, especially the breed studies, 

 has in certain instances been submitted to prominent authori- 

 ties to obtain accurate and impartial criticism. It has been 

 the aim of the author to mention only the more important 

 phases of the subject, leaving the detailed or exhaustive infor- 

 mation for reference reading. It can be readily realized that 

 no single volume of this nature can exhaust the information 

 available. The work is intended primarily for students, 

 farmers and stockmen who wish to become familiar with 

 the methods and practices in judging the pure breeds and 

 market and show classes of live stock. The subject matter 

 has been arranged systematically to facilitate the study of 



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