10 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



ton conformation of the animal is the leading consideration, 

 in breed contests the embellishments that must accompany 

 true mutton form in the make-up of a typical show animal, 

 must be given due consideration. ' ' 



Some animals have serious defects that should be seen. 

 These may be natural or unnatural. One might regard a 

 short, steep pastern on a saddle horse, or a very poor front 

 udder on a cow, or a very long snout on a Berkshire boar, 

 as defects, yet of a natural sort that could not be classed 

 as a blemish. However, the horse afflicted with a bone 

 spavin, or the cow with an udder having a milkless quarter, 

 would certainly be charged with defects. These, in the 

 opinion of the critics, would amount to positive blemishes, 

 and seriously affect selling values. One of the problems 

 which confront the judge, is that of weighing up and giv- 

 ing proper estimate of defective characteristics. While 

 animals with blemishes may be quickly set aside as un- 

 worthy of consideration, the judge may find it necessary 

 to give ratings to individuals with ill form or natural de- 

 fects. Exhibitors who are not over scrupulous, often try 

 to take advantage of an easygoing or superficial judge. 

 The fact is, all animals with known defects of importance 

 should be barred from the show ring. The methods in op- 

 eration in certain horse shows, of compelling exhibitors 

 to submit their horses to qualified veterinary inspection 

 to pass on their soundness before allowing them to compete 

 in the show ring, is a step in the right direction. The 

 work of the English Hackney Horse Society in this re- 

 spect, has been productive of great good. 



Men become efficient judges by specializing rather than 

 otherwise. As a rule one finds much to do in becoming 

 proficient within a single type or breed. Those men who 

 are recognized as the best qualified judges, and who are 

 most in demand at the more important shows, either re- 

 strict themselves to one general type or to one breed. A man 

 may be an expert judge of dairy cattle, but he is not likely 

 to be equally good as a judge of beef type. Some exhibit- 



