WHAT IS PERFECTION IN CATTLE ! 
26? 
WHAT IS PERFECTION IN CATTLE J 
VVe doubt whether there is a person living—man, 
woman, or child, however ignorant or learned, or 
whatever may be his profession—who has not es¬ 
tablished in his own mind, the beau ideal of a bull, 
an ox, and a cow. But call upon such persons to 
define this beau ideal— this perfect animal—and not 
one in a million can do it, and then that one in the 
million will in all probability be oftener wrong than 
right. Why? Because, however many cattle the 
said person may have handled and bred, he has, after 
all, no exact scientific notions on the subject—no rule, 
or in other words, no Scale of Points by which to be 
guided in judging of the perfections or imperfections 
of an animal; and the only attempt which we have met 
with to establish one, has been done by the Jersey Agri¬ 
cultural Society. But this scale is quite partial, and 
applied to an inferior breed; it cannot therefore be 
exactly followed in judging of superior animals. We 
have long felt that until a scale of points could be es¬ 
tablished, to guide judges at cattle shows in their 
decisions, there would not only invariably be great 
dissatisfaction on the part of exhibitors in the decisions 
of the judges, but it would be utterly impossible for 
breeders themselves to make the improvements in 
their animals, which otherwise they would be ena¬ 
bled to accomplish. They are now like a fleet 
of vessels on the broad ocean—without quadrant and 
compass, and under orders for the best port in the 
country, and no instructions which that “best port” 
may be, but every Captain allowed to decide the point 
for himself. 
We have hoped for several years past, that the Eng¬ 
lish Agricultural Society would take up this subject and 
establish a scale of points; and we have endeavored 
repeatedly to get those breeders abroad with whom 
we are acquainted to move in the matter; but as yet 
have met with no success'. If England, however, 
be not willing to do so, it is no reason that America 
should stand still. We, therefore, after much hesitancy 
and consulting with several of the best breeders in the 
United Slates, give the following rude outlines for the 
formation of a scale of points, which shall be the criteria 
to judge of and regulate the breeding of cattle. In 
drawing it up, it will be seen that several of the articles 
have been taken almost verbatim from that of the Jer¬ 
sey Society, to which we wish to give all the credit that 
is justly due it. We hope it may have the happy tendency 
to set breeders thinking on the subject, trusting here¬ 
after that a convention of them may settle on some¬ 
thing which shall prove an infallible guide to regulate 
their movements, in producing cattle. In reading i 
over this scale, many will ask, why is this article put ; 
down at 1, or that at 4, or another at 6, &c. ? We 
can only answer for the present, that it would require 1 
a volume to give the reasons, and after all, we could 
not explain ourselves fully; for in order to make a 
good breeder, a person must have a natural talent for ■ 
such things, the same as for mathematics, oratory, ; 
music, or painting; precept and practice with him ' 
m-ust then go along together—and a great deal of them. 1 
We once heard a person observe,* after looking over ! 
two or three herds of cattle and holding a little chai 1 
with their breeders, “Ah, now I know all about it.” ; 
Vain, conceited, superficial man ! The best of us may 
study and practise our whole lives in breeding animals, ! 
and then we have a great deal to learn. . 
In drawing up this Scale of Points, it has been done j 
tor the Durham breed of cattle, because they are the 
, most perfect. It may answer, however, with the dis- 
• tinctions below, equally well for Herefords and De¬ 
vons—the only other breeds worth talking about. 
, For Herefords, this distinction should be made : a 
> white and rather long upturned horn ; a white as well 
t as yellow nose ; color mainly red, with or without a 
! line back; but some (if not all) white invariably in 
i the face or under the belly. For Devons, a long yel- 
i lowish-white horn, generally turned very much up, 
• yet not unfrequently standing out horizontally or near- 
, ly so from the head; color a deep, bright red, with a 
i patch of white about as large as the hand occasion- 
i ally showing on the navel and directly around it, and 
: silver hairs in the tail. Anything showing different¬ 
ly than the above it may be assured is a grade or un¬ 
improved beast, and should be invariably stamped as 
such. For a figure illustrating what is technically 
termed the points of cattle, we refer to volume 
second, page 70. 
Scale of Points for Durham Bulls. 
Points 
Art. 1.—Purity of breed on male and female 
side; sire and dam reputed for docility of disposi¬ 
tion, early maturity, and aptitude to fatten. Sire a 
good stock-getter. Dam a good breeder, and giving 
a large quantity of milk, or such as is superior for 
making butter or cheese, - - - 7 
Art. 2. —Head muscular and fine. The horns 
fine and gradually diminishing to a point; of aflat, 
rather than of a round shape at the base ; short, and 
inclined to turn up ; those of a clear, waxy color to 
be preferred, but such as are of a transparent white 
slightly tinged with yellow, admissible. Ears 
small, thin, and covered with soft hair; playing 
quick and moving freely. Forehead short and 
broad, especially between the eyes, and slightly 
dished. Eyes bright, placid, and rather prominent 
than otherwise, with a yellow rim round them. 
Lower part of the face clean, dished, and well de¬ 
veloping the course of the veins. Muzzle small. 
Nose of a clear orange or light chocolate color. 
Nostrils wide and open. Lower jaw thin. Teeth 
clean and sound, - - - -5 
Art. 3. —Neck fine, and slightly arched ; strongly 
and well set on to the head and shoulders; harmo¬ 
niously widening, deepening, and rounding as it 
approaches the latter point No dewlap, - 2 
Art. 4.— Chest broad, deep, and projecting—the 
brisket on a lower line than the belly, - -5 
Art. 5. —Shoulders broad, strong, fine, and well 
placed. Fore legs short, straight, and standing 
rather wide apart than narrow. Fore arm muscu¬ 
lar, broad, and powerful; slightly swelling and full 
above the knee; the bone fine and flat. Knees well 
knit and strong. Foot flat and in shape of an ob¬ 
long semi-circle ; horn of the hoof sound, and of a 
clear, waxy color, - - - - 2 
Art. 6 —Barrel round and deep, and well ribbed 
up to the hips, - - - - 4 
Art. 7.—Back short, strong, straight and broad 
from the withers to the setting of the tail. Crops 
round and full. Loins broad. Huckle bones on a 
level with the back. Tail well set, on a level with 
the back, or very slightly below it; fine, and gradu¬ 
ally diminishing to a point, and hanging without 
the brush an inch or so below the hock, at right 
angles with the back, - - - 4 
Art. 8. —Hind quarters from the huckle to the 
point of the rump long and well filled up. Twist 
well let down and full. Hind legs short, straight, 
and well spread apart; gradually swelling and 
rounding above the hock ; the bone, fine and flat be- 
