THE RUMINANT ORDER. 
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The problem simply consists in producing, as quickly and 
economically as possible, an animal excelling to the highest 
degree both in the quantity and quality of its meat. Care, therefore, 
must be taken particularly to develop those parts which furnish 
the joints which are most esteemed, such as the thighs and rump. 
According to these ideas, the type of the Ox best fitted for the 
butcher is that in which flesh surpasses bone in proportion, and 
in which the hinder parts are more fully developed, even at the 
expense of the neck and shoulders ; for the latter joints furnish 
an inferior article of food, so that their reduction, if compensated 
for by an increase of the more valuable portions, must be a great 
desideratum. 
What, therefore, are the points by which we can discern when 
an Ox approaches the butcher’s ideal P The answer is, great 
width combined with depth and length. 
“The deeper,” says M. Sanson, “the animal is in the thorax, 
in proportion to its size, — the closer it is to the ground, in vulgar 
terms ; added to this, the longer it is in body and rump ; and the 
thicker it is, or, as is commonly said, ‘ the better it is made up,’ 
the greater amount of clear meat it gives in comparison with its 
absolute or living weight, and the better it approaches to the 
desired type.”* 
There are certain accessory characteristics which must have 
their due importance as likewise forming a prominent feature in 
the type of the Ox which is intended for the butcher. It must 
have slenderly made bones, a fine head, skin supple and not too 
thick, moderate dew-lap, thin and downy hair, calm visage, quiet 
and mild look. It may be regarded as a certainty, that the Ox 
which combines these and the former attributes possesses a special 
fitness for becoming good beef. 
Next to meat, milk is the most valuable product which this 
race furnishes us — a source of wealth to the producers, for it 
is an article of universal consumption. Thus it may be easily 
understood how important it is for the buyer to be able to dis- 
tinguish, a priori, in the market, from certain outward signs, 
what are the milking qualities of a Cow, and to be able to arrive 
at a correct conclusion, even in a Heifer, whether she will be a 
good or bad milker. In spite, therefore, of certain preconceived 
* Application de la Zootechnie. 
