Oxen.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



159 



In Somersetshire the Devon breed prevails, or at. 

 least the original breed has been greatly crossed by 

 the Devon, of which it presents most of the excel- 

 lences. The Somersetshire cattle are alike valu- 

 able for C1 the pail, the plough, and grazing." The 

 tract, of country between Bridge water and Cross 

 produces cheese of well-known excellence; the best 

 •Cheddar cheese is made either in that tract or the 

 marshes round Glastonbury. 



The Hereford improved breed, with white faces, 

 is valuable as fattening rapidly, and that on inferior 

 fare ; the flesh is fine-grained, and highly prized in 

 the market : the cows, however, yield but a scanty 

 portion of milk. In Gloucestershire the Hereford's 

 are preferred for the team, and by graziers for fat- 

 tening ; but the old Gloucester breed for milk. 

 This old breed is of mixed origin, consisting of a 

 race of Welsh descent, as is supposed, crossed by 

 various others, and among them the Alderney. The 

 rich Vale of Berkeley produces the finest Gloucester 

 cheese. 



The breed of cattle in Sussex closely resembles 

 that of Devonshire: according to judges it is inter- 

 mediate between the Devon and Hereford, "having 

 the activity of the first, the strength of the second, 

 and the propensity to fatten and the beautiful fine- 

 grained flesh of both." Its colour is deep chestnut 

 red, or blood-bay, and a deviation from these colours 

 indicates a cross. In the Weald of Sussex oxen of 

 this valuable stock are generally used for team- 

 work ; and so great is their strength and quickness, 

 that many teams have been known to travel with 

 heavy loads fifteen miles a-day, for several successive 

 weeks, and that without distress. The Sussex cow, 

 as is the case with the Devon and Hereford, is very 

 inferior in size to the bull ; and though the milk 

 yielded is good, it is of trifling quantity. 



A valuable breed of middle-horned cattle extends 

 through South Wales, and of this the Glamorgan- 

 shire variety is highly celebrated. The oxen are 

 readily fattened, and the cows yield a fair quantity 

 of milk. 



Fig. 699 . presents specimens of the following 

 breeds:— a, the old Craven bull; b, the Shropshire 

 ox ; c, the new Leicester bull ; d, the Devon cow ; 

 <e, the Hereford bull ; f, the Hereford cow ; g, the 

 Sussex cow. 



The most extensively diffused breed of cattle on 

 our island, and by far the most valuable, is that 

 termed, by way of distinction, the short-horned, and 

 of which the central bull in Fig. 701 is an example, 

 presenting every point in the highest excellency. 



Of this breed England may justly be proud; in it 

 is united as far as possible every good quality. The 

 form is admirable; the oxen fatten quickly, and 

 often attain to an enormous weight, and the cows 

 are excellent as milkers. 



It would appear that Durham and some parts of 

 Yorkshire had long possessed a breed of short- 

 horned cattle of large size, and celebrated for the 

 quantity of milk yielded by the cows ; but this breed, 

 not only in figure, but in aptitude to fatten and in 

 the quality of the flesh, required great improve- 

 ment, other races far excelling it in these points, so 

 important, to the grazier. This stock still lingers, 

 and is certainly valuable to the dairy farmer, who 

 might, however, substitute the improved breed for it 

 with advantage. It is about 80 years since the im- 

 proved stock of this old but really fine breed began 

 to be established on the banks of the Tees, owing 

 to the judgment and care of the intelligent breeders 

 of that, district. It differs from the old short-horns 

 in possessing a well-developed figure, and in apti- 

 tude to acquire fat. The first step of improvement, 

 resulting from the practical knowledge of Mr. Mil- 

 bank and other coadjutors, opened the way for the 

 successful exertions of subsequent spirited breeders, 

 who, by pursuing a judicious plan in crossing, have 

 brought the breed to the highest pitch of perfection. 

 Among these crosses it is supposed that the white 

 wild breed has contributed a share, and to this cir- 

 cumstance is attributed the prevalence of, white as 

 characteristic of the stock. 



Among the most successful of improvers was Mr. 

 C. Colling, who bred the celebrated Durham ox ex- 

 hibited in the years 1801-5-6, the produce of one of 

 the ordinary short-horned cows and a bull termed 

 Favourite, of noble figure. At five years old, says 

 the excellent author of the work on cattle, "the 

 Durham ox was sold to Mr. Bulmer, of Harmley, 

 near Bedale, for public exhibition, at the price of 

 140/. This was in February, 1801. He was at that 

 time computed to weigh 168 stones of 14 lbs. ; his 

 live weight being 216 stones: this extraordinary 

 weight did not arise from his superior size, but from 

 the excessive ripeness of all his points.'' The Dur- 

 ham ox in a short time passed into the possession of 

 Mr. J. Day, who travelled with him through the 

 principal parts of England and Scotland, till at 

 Oxford the 19th of February, 1807, he dislocated 

 his hip-bone, and continued in that state till the 15th 

 of April, when he was obliged to be slaughtered, 

 and, notwithstanding he must have lost considerably 



during these eight weeks of illness, his carcass 

 weighed, the four quarters 165 stones 12 lbs., tallow 

 11 stones 2 lbs., and. hide. 10 stones 2 lbs. 



Among the most remarkable of Mr. Ceiling's ex- 

 periments in breeding, was that of a cross between 

 the improved short-horns and a polled Galloway 

 cow, which, being interbred with the pure short- 

 homed stock, gave origin to a breed called the 

 Alloy, a term at first given by way of disparage- 

 ment, but continued afterwards when the excel- 

 lences of the breed were acknowledged. Some idea 

 of its value may be formed from the fact, that at a 

 sale of Mr. Ceiling's cattle forty-eight animals (cows, 

 bulls, year-old bull-calves, and heifer-calves) realized 

 7115/. 17s. One bull named Comet sold for a thou- 

 sand guineas. 



Of the Alloy breed was the stock, or part of the 

 stock, of the late Rev. H. Berry; the figure of the 

 cows was excellent in every respect, and their milk- 

 ing quality is stated to have been by no means of 

 low degree. 



Among the most celebrated of the short-horned 

 stocks of the present, day, that in the possession of 

 Lord Althorp is one of the most distinguished. It 

 was originally derived from the stock of Mr. R. 

 Colling, and no pains have been spared in bringing 

 it to the highest excellence. A celebrated bull, 

 belonging to this nobleman, and which is known 

 under the cognomen of Firby, may be regarded as 

 a model of the breed. It is a peculiarity in this 

 short-horned race, that the cows are excellent as 

 milkers, and moreover that when dried they fatten 

 rapidly. The oxen, as it is acknowledged, are fit for 

 the butcher at the age of two years ; but this ten- 

 dency to acquire fat renders them indolent workers, 

 and more unfitted for the team than other breeds ; 

 a circumstance of little consequence, as cattle which 

 are profitable to the breeder at two years old, and 

 are as ready for the butcher at this age as those of 

 any other breed at three or even four, ought never 

 to be submitted to the yoke. The bulls, indeed, 

 being extremely docile, may be employed with ad- 

 vantage in many operations going on in every farm, 

 a plan the more advisable as they are apt to acquire 

 too much fat, which moderate labour would tend to 

 diminish. 



It must not be supposed that every breed of short- 

 horned cattle is endowed with the qualities charac- 

 teristic of the improved stock, which render it so 

 valuable. There is, for example, a breed of short- 

 horned cattle in Lincolnshire, with which the Smith- 

 field market is abundantly supplied ; but the cattle 

 of this stock are by no means first-rate animals ; the 

 head is not finely modelled, the bone is compara- 

 tively large, the limbs high, and the hips wide. In 

 many instances the stock has been improved by 

 admixture with more highly-bred animals, and ren- 

 dered valuable, but the flesh is not fine grained. 

 On the whole these cattle are better adapted for the 

 dairy-farmer than the grazier, as the cows yield a 

 fair quantity of milk. 



Among the short-horned race must be enumerated 

 that singular breed of cattle called Alderneys, which 

 has gained, and deserves, a degree of celebrity from 

 the peculiar richness of the milk afforded by the 

 cows. These cattle are originally from Normandy 

 and the islands on the French coast, from one of 

 which (Alderney) they take their name. They are 

 small in size, awkwardly shaped, with a peculiar 

 bend in the back, and in every point more or less 

 defective. The milk yielded is"not great in quantity, 

 but abounds with butter; and it is from its richness 

 that these animals are favourites. Improbable as it 

 might seem from the appearance of the Alderney, 

 its aptitude to fatten is remarkable ; even the cows, 

 when dried, soon gain flesh, and even acquire con- 

 siderable weight. It is chiefly in pleasure-grounds 

 and the paddocks attached to the houses of persons 

 not engaged in farming for profit, that cows of this 

 breed "are to be seen. In Hampshire alone the 

 Alderney breed is general, constituting the stock of 

 the farmer. It would appear that it is more suited 

 to the pasturage of that county than others which 

 require richer grazing grounds, consume a large 

 quantity of food, and return a disproportionate sup- 

 ply of milk. 



Our cut (Fig. 701) represents the following : — 

 a, cow of the Alderney breed ; b, bull of the same 

 breed ; e, a cow of the "Alloy breed belonging to the 

 Rev. Mr. Berry ; d, Lord Althorp's celebrated short- 

 horned bull Firby ; e, a cow of the same stock ; f, a 

 polled or hornless cow ; g, a short-horned cow of the 

 West Highland breed ; h, a Glamorganshire cow ; i, 

 improved Lincolnshire ox ; j, bull of the Alloy breed ; 

 k, Yorkshire cow. With respect to other breeds of 

 which we have as yet said nothing, we may observe 

 that in the Highlands of Scotland a race of small 

 black cattle prevails, of which large herds are 

 driven southwards, and depastured in the grazing- 

 lands of England. Of these numbers are brought 

 to the London market. Of this race many varieties 

 exist. Of these we may particularize the Kyloes 

 of the Western Islands and the Hebrides: they are 



small, but hardy and well-formed, thriving on coarse 

 fare, and producing fine-grained and high-flavoured 

 meat. The different islands of the Hebrides con- 

 tain, says Mr. Youatt, "about one hundred and 

 fifty thousand of these cattle, of which it is calcu- 

 lated that one-fifth are annually sent to the main- 

 land, principally through Jura, or across the ferry of 

 the isle of Skye. If these average about 5/. per 

 head, the amount will be 150,000/., or more than 

 the rental of the whole islands, which Mr. Macdonald 

 calculated at 106,720/., but which now produce a 

 greater sum. Cattle therefore constitute the staple 

 commodity of the Hebrides. Three thousand five 

 hundred are annually exported from the island of 

 Islay alone." 



In the north of Argyleshire the cattle are larger 

 than those of the Hebrides, and are bred to the full 

 size which the pasturage will admit and the good 

 qualities of the animal bear without deterioration. 

 It is in this district that the most perfect Highland 

 cattle are oftenest seen. The animals are com- 

 pactly built, short and rather strong in the shank, 

 straight in the back, with a fine muzzle and small 

 sharp horns. As they wander over a wild country, 

 they are wild and often fierce, and their eye ex- 

 presses energy and spirit. It is solely for their flesh 

 that herds of these cattle are reared ; " every effort," 

 says Mr. Youatt, " to qualify them for the dairy will 

 not only lessen their hardiness of constitution and 

 propensity to fatten, but will fail in rendering them 

 valuable for the purpose at which the farmer fool- 

 ishly aims." In the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, to- 

 gether with part of Ayrshire and Dumfries, form- 

 ing the old province of Galloway, a beautiful polled 

 or hornless breed of cattle exists, highly esteemed 

 for their many excellences. In figure they are 

 admirable, excepting that the neck of the bull is 

 almost too thick ; but. the chest is deep, the limbs 

 clean and short, the back straight, and the body 

 round. Black is the prevailing colour. These 

 cattle exceed the Argyle breed in size ; they fatten 

 well and quickly, and their flesh is excellent : " Few 

 cattle sell so high in the Smithfield market, and it 

 is no uncommon thing to see one of these little 

 bullocks outsell a coarse Lincolnshire bullock, al- 

 though the latter is heavier by several stones." 



The Galloway cattle are remarkable for gentle- 

 ness; and robust and muscular as the bulls are, one 

 of mischievous habits and bad temper is seldom met 

 with. Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, and 

 other districts have their peculiar breeds. In Wales 

 several breeds of cattle are found ; in the Isle 

 of Anglesey there is a fine race of middle-horned 

 black cattle, with a deep chest, heavy shoulders, 

 enormous dewlap, and round body. The appear- 

 ance of the bulls of this breed is very noble and 

 imposing; the expression of the head is animated, 

 bold, and even fierce ; and this character is not lost 

 altogether in the oxen and cows. It is calculated 

 that upwards of ten thousand are annually exported 

 from this island. The flesh of these cattle is of 

 first-rate quality. The numerous inferior crosses or 

 mongrel breeds of doubtful origin, into which the 

 cattle of our island have ramified, need no especial 

 notice. 



Fig. 702 represents an Exhibition of Prize-Cattle, 

 at the Horse Bazaar, Portman Square, London. 



This annual exhibition, by the Smithfield Cattle 

 Club, is interesting not only to those immediately 

 engaged in agricultural pursuits, but to every one 

 who reflects upon the importance of the ox in a 

 commercial sense, independently of every other 

 consideration. Here are to be seen the results 

 of exertions principally carried on during the last 

 eighty years, to unite "and bring to perfection the 

 most desirable points in the various breeds of do- 

 mestic animals which were once peculiar to differ- 

 ent parts of Great Britain, but are now spread in 

 their improved form over every part of the country. 

 In the gallery, a portion of which overlooks the 

 show-yard, are to be seen agricultural implements 

 and machinery of the latest and most improved con- 

 struction ; roots and plants adapted to our climate, 

 but which are as yet comparatively unknown ; spe- 

 cimens of artificial manures, and of the soils of 

 districts differing from each other in their geologi- 

 cal formation. In spite of all the advances which 

 agriculture has made during the present century, 

 how slowly do improvements extend beyond the 

 intelligent circle in which they are first adopted ; 

 and it is one of the great advantages of institu- 

 tions such as the Smithfield Club, to spread them 

 more rapidly and widely by drawing the agricul- 

 turist from the secluded scenes in which he carries 

 on his occupations, and bringing them before him 

 in the manner best calculated to demonstrate their 

 utility. 



A prize ox or sheep is fatter than the ordinary 

 market requires, and hence it is often supposed 

 that the stimulus of prizes for bringing an animal 

 into a state of unnecessary fatness is altogether a 

 work of siq^ererogation. But tne power of reaching 

 an excessive size is simply a test. A piece of artil- 



