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accompanied by want of fullness of the first ribs, a narrow sternum, or 
base of chest, and a smallness of the waist or girth. 
Another fashionable point has been the perfect straightness of the 
hind leg—the foot being on a perpendicular line from the point of the 
rump, without any angle at the hock. Such a leg has not the flexibility 
or mechanical power to enable the animal to move with facility. This 
structure of the hind leg is also generally accompanied by a similar structure 
of the fore leg, giving an upright shoulder. No man of judgment would 
choose a horse, even for farm purposes, with a straight hind leg and 
upright shoulder. It may be said the ox is wanted wholly for beef; but 
the animal is to gather a large portion of his food by the use of hi 3 
legs, and has sometimes to travel long journeys to market. The defect 
here mentioned—although considered by some breeders an excellence — 
has sometimes been carried so far as to injure animals bred only for 
slaughter. The form alluded to has no advantage for any purpose. It 
is difficult to understand how any one should have supposed that it even 
constituted beauty, and it has no connection with any valuable property 
of the animal. 
It has been supposed, and taught by some who have written on cattle, 
that thin skin and thin hair are desirable points in fatting stock. It is 
true they sometimes accompany a propensity to fatten ; but a thin, 
flabby skin is generally accompanied by a loose texture of flesh—such 
as in butchers’ phrase, “will not lie on the block”—and it denotes want 
of hardiness, which is also indicated in a still greater degree by thin 
hair. On the other hand, a proper substance of skin and fullness of 
coat, are indicative of a tendency to fatten, good quality of flesh, and 
sound constitution. 
A convex, or circular form of the buttock, giving great width at this 
part, has sometimes been commended. It is a form which not only gives 
a large proportion of coarse meat in this part, but denotes a coarseness 
of quality throughout the carcass. The ‘round’ is composed of two 
parts or sets of muscles, usually called the ‘outside’ and the ‘inside.’ 
The inside is of much the best quality. The outside is never very good, 
and when it assumes the form just alluded to, it is hard, and ill-flavored. 
Hence, although full twists are desirable, large, thick buttocks should be 
avoided. 
