589 
LORD SPENCER’S RULES FOR THE SELECTION OF 
MALE ANIMALS FOR BREEDING. 
The first tilings to be considered in the selection of a male 
animal are the indications by which it may be possible to form 
a judgment as to his constitution. In all animals a wide chest 
indicates strength of constitution, and there can be no doubt that 
this is the point of shape to which it is most material for any 
breeder to look in the selection either of a bull or a ram. In 
order to ascertain that the chest of these animals is wide, it is 
not sufficient to observe that they have wide bosoms; but the 
width which is perceived by looking at them in the front should 
be continued along the brisket, which ought to shew great ful- 
ness in the part which is just under the elbows; it is also ne- 
cessary that they should be what is called thick through the 
heart. Another indication of a good constitution is, that a male 
animal should have a masculine appearance : with this view a 
certain degree of coarseness is by no means objectionable, but this 
coarseness should not be such as would be likely to shew itself 
in a castrated animal, because it thus might happen that the 
oxen or wethers produced from such a sire would be coarse also, 
which in them would be a fault. Another point to be attended 
to, not merely as an indication of a good constitution, but as a 
merit in itself, is, that an animal in itself should exhibit great 
muscular power, or rather that his muscles should be large. 
This is an usual accompaniment of strength of constitution; 
but it also shews that there will be a good proportionate mix- 
ture of lean and fat in the meat produced from the animal, the 
muscles being that part which in meat is lean. A thick neck 
is, in both bulls and rams, a proof of the muscles being large ; 
and there can hardly be a greater fault in the shape of a male 
animal of either sort, than his having a thin neck. I am inclined 
to say, that in the new Leicester breed of sheep, which is the 
breed to which I am accustomed, a ram’s neck cannot be too 
thick. Other indications of muscle are more difficult to observe 
in sheep than in cattle. In a bull there ought to be a full 
muscle on each side of the back bone, just behind the top of the 
shoulder blades ; he ought also to have the muscles on the out- 
side of the thigh full, and extending down nearly to the hough. 
It will seldom happen that a bull having ihese indications will 
be found deficient in muscle. As I am writing for the use of 
farmers, it is quite unnecessary for me to attempt to give a de- 
scription of what is considered a well-shaped bull or ram ; it is 
also obviously impossible to express in words what is meant by 
VOL. XXIV. 4 L 
