GROWING AND FITTING CATTLE FOR KXHIBITION 319 



Other animals, to accustom them to such surrounding-s. 

 Especially when beyond the age of calfhood, they should 

 be led some distance on the near approach of the fairs. 

 The rule with some herdsmen is to have them led, say, 

 half a mile every day, or half a mile each way every 

 other day. This means time and labor, but it keeps the 

 animals well upon their feet; that is, it helps to give 

 them an ease and grace in action which they would not 

 otherwise have. They are also accustomed to stand or 

 advance at the command of the attendant, and to stand 

 in show attitude, that is, with the feet evenly and 

 naturally placed, the fore feet and the hind feet being 

 in line when viewed from the side, and the head carried 

 a little higher than the line of the back. Should the 

 feet be misplaced, the herdsman touches the hoof that 

 may be too far forward with his foot, in response to 

 which the animal will move it back. Should the hoof 

 be set down too far back, the animal is led up far 

 enough to secure a forward movement of the limb, be- 

 cause when the feet are misplaced the back is affected. 

 The cattle should be made to go forward or backward 

 readily and also to turn around and get in place again 

 when necessar}^. 



The award, as intimated, may be much influenced 

 by the behavior of the animals in the show ring. If a 

 cattle beast acts nervously in the ring, it will not stand 

 naturally, and if it does not, the judge cannot properly 

 estimate its merits. If it is restless in the ring and is 

 frequently getting out of position, a prejudice toward 

 it is created in the mind of the judge, which is certain 

 to result in lowering the place that might otherwise be 

 assigned to it. The attendant cannot afford to be other- 

 wise than alert in keeping the animal in position when 

 the judge is inspecting, as in a very close contest an 

 impression made on the mind of the judge by some par- 

 ticular pose on the part of the animal may result in 

 securing for it victory or defeat. To work out the 



