The Skeleton. 11 



degree. The ribs gradually lengthen from the first to the 

 ninth, thence becoming shorter to the 18th. In the horse 

 the ribs are narrower, closer together and rounder than in 

 cattle, in the latter the ribs are comparatively flat and 

 broad. The desirable form of rib in the horse is the 

 well sprung one, giving the body the shape known as the 

 barrel. In cattle the spring of rib varies with the type, 

 in fact, it may be stated that those animals used for 

 meat-producing purposes should have a well sprung rib, 

 the spring being right from the back, in fact, the upper 

 part of the ribs aid in forming the great width of back 

 so much desired. In the dairy cow the ribs take a some- 

 what different direction, the arch of the ribs resembling 

 more nearly that of a hip roof than that of a barrel. It 

 is very important that the ribs (5 and 6) just behind the 

 front limbs should be well sprung so as -to give plenty of 

 lung room. This applies to all domesticated animals of 

 any type or of any breed. The width of chest of the 

 dairy cow is taken behind the shoulders about one foot 

 below the withers. The slab-sided animal, so-called, 

 due to lack of spring of rib, is generally a notoriously 

 bad doer. The upper end of each rib forms joints with 

 two vertebrae, the ribs are thus capable of being lifted 

 , up and outwards during the act of breathing. The 

 factors determining the spring of ribs are : Heredity and 

 lung development, for with good lung development in 

 the young animal, bones which at that time are impres- 

 sionable, so to speak, may and will be given direction. 

 Heredity, of course, is the supreme factor of the two, 

 and if good conformation is wanted only animals with 

 such conformation can be used as breeders with much 



