PART III— JUDGING CATTLE. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

 THE ANATOMY OF THE OX. 



A study of the anatomy of the ox, even in quite an 

 elementary degree, will add much to one's efficiency as a 

 judge of cattle. The bony structure, the distribution of the 

 muscles, the character and uses of the vital and digestive 

 organs, have a most important bearing on the relationship 

 of form to function. 



The skeleton of the ox is lower set and somewhat longer 

 than is that of the horse. The skull consists of eight bones, 

 with the frontal one the largest and most important. This 

 occupies the upper half of the skull, and the horns are 

 extensions of what might be termed its corners. It is 

 larger and stronger with the bull than the cow. The 

 spinal column consists of about fifty bones, of which five 

 are united in one piece, the sacrum, and 18 to 20 are in 

 the coccyx or tail. An interesting feature of the spine is 

 that its upper points rise to form a line along most of 

 the back that is very nearly straight, which accounts for 

 the level back to be seen on cattle. The deeper covering 

 of flesh over the spine occurs along that portion of the 

 back where the spinal processes are shortest. "The spinous 

 processes of the anterior bones of the back constituting 

 the withers," says Youatt,^ "are stronger, but not so long 

 as in the horse. While a very slight curve should mark the 

 situation of the withers, the irregularity of the processes 

 of the bones should never be visible. The less the curve 

 the better, and no decided hollow behind should point out 



'Cattle, I860, p. 372. 



209 



