er 
straight, and laterally round, and filled at the 
flanks; the ribs project horizontally, and at right 
angles to the back; the hooks are wide and flat ; 
the rump, from the tail to the hooks, is flat and 
well-filled ; the quarter, from the itch-bone to the 
hook, is long; the loin-bones are long, broad, flat, 
and well-filled; the space between the hooks and 
the short-ribs is rather short, and well arched 
over, in its posterior part, with a thickness of 
beef; the space from the loin to the shoulder- 
blade is nearly of one breadth ; the space from 
the shoulder-blade to the front of the shoulder 
|» Somewhat tapers or contracts; the neck-vein, in 
|, completion of the line from the neck to the bris- 
ket, is well filled forward; the covering on the 
shoulder-blade is as full out as the buttocks; and 
the middle ribs, in completion of the line from 
| the shoulders to the buttocks along the projec- 
tion of the outside of the ribs, are well filled. 
The bones of a prime ox are flat, small, and 
_hard; and constitute an important point for 
directing a judgment of lean cattle. A round 
thick bone indicates both slow feeding and infe- 
rior flesh ; but a bone which appears flat when 
seen on a side view, and narrow when seen either 
from behind or from before, indicates rapid feed- 
ing and superior flesh. The bones, regarded in 
the aggregate, are small-grained and hard, and 
constitute a small proportion of the bulk and 
weight of the carcase. The bones of the head 
are fine and clean, and are covered, not with 
masses of fat, but only with skin and muscle; 
and the forearm and the hock are also clean and 
full of muscle. The neck, unlike that of the 
sheep, has no effect on the strength of the spine ; 
and, contrary to the configuration of a prime 
sheep’s neck, it is small from the back of the 
| head to the middle of the neck. 
The eye of a prime ox is clear, calm, and pro- 
minent ; and is always attendant on fine bone, 
_ and nicely indicative of good breeding. A dull, 
heavy eye decidedly indicates slow feeding; a 
rolling eye, showing much white, is expressive of 
| a restless and capricious disposition, and indi- 
cative of unsteady and somewhat difficult feed- 
ing; and a calm, complacent eye is expressive of 
a sweet and patient disposition, and indicative 
of steady, rapid, and kindly feeding. A clear and 
cheerful eye accompanies good health; and a 
dull, heavy eye—of a different cast from the eye 
of constitutional phlegmatic dulness—indicates 
| the probable existence of some internal lingering 
disease. 
The skin of a prime ox affords a criterion of a 
seemingly fanciful kind to the uninitiated, but of 
perfect certainty and great moment to a judge,— 
the criterion which is technically and emphati- 
cally called the touch. “The touch,” says Mr. 
Dickson, “ may be good or bad, fine or harsh, or, 
as it is often termed, hard or mellow. A thick, 
firm skin, which is generally covered with a thick 
set, hard, short hair, always touches hard, and 
indicates a bad feeder. A thin, meagre, papery 
I. 
CATTLE. 
137 
skin, covered with thin, silky hair, being the 
opposite of the one just described, does not, how- 
ever, afford a good touch. Such a skin is indi- 
cative of weakness of constitution, though of 
good feeding properties. A perfect touch will be 
found with a thick, loose skin, floating, as it 
were, on a layer of soft fat, yielding to the least 
pressure, and springing back towards the fingers 
like a piece of soft, thick chamois leather, and 
covered with thick, glossy, soft hair. Such a 
collection of hair looks rich and beautiful, and 
seems warm and comfortable to the animal. It 
is not unlike a bed of fine soft moss; and hence 
such a skin is frequently styled ‘mossy,’ The 
sensation derived from feeling a fine touch is 
pleasurable, and even delightful, to an amateur 
of breeding. You cannot help liking the animal 
that possesses a fine touch. Along with it is 
generally associated a fine symmetrical form. A 
knowledge of touch can only be acquired by long 
practice; but after having acquired it, it is of 
itself a sufficient means of judging of the feeding 
quality of the ox; because, when present, the 
properties of symmetrical form, fine bone, sweet 
disposition, and purity of blood are the general 
accompaniments.” 
A good ox shows a fair proportion between the 
extremities and the body, and a symmetry of 
parts and members among the extremities. The 
head is small, and appears as if easily carried on 
the neck; the face, from the eyes to the tip of 
the nose, is long; the skull is broad across the 
eyes, contracts but little above them, and con- 
siderably tapers below them to the nose; the 
muzzle is fine and small, and the nostrils large; 
the crown of the head is flat and strong; the 
horns, whatever be the direction of their growth, 
protrude horizontally from the sides of the crown ; 
and the ears are large, somewhat erect, consider- 
ably thin, and somewhat translucent. The neck 
is light, and tapers from the front of the shoul 
der and neck-vein, with a gradual rise from the 
top of the shoulder to the head. The legs below 
the knee are clean made, and rather short than 
long; and they stand wide asunder, and seem so 
placed as most easily and effectually to support 
the whole weight of the body. The tail is com- 
paratively thick, in indication of a strong spine 
and great weight; and, in most good instances, 
it terminates in a large tuft of long hair. 
A prime ox for the shambles has comparative 
bulkiness in the members and parts whose flesh 
is of chief value. “The position of the flesh on 
the carcass,” remarks Mr. Dickson, “is a great 
consideration in judging of the ox, the flesh on 
the different parts being of various qualities. 
That part called the spare-rib in Edinburgh, and 
the fore and middle ribs in London, the loins, 
and the rump or hockbone, are of the finest 
quality, and are generally used for roasts and 
steaks. Consequently, the ox which carries the 
largest quantity of beef on these points is the 
most valuable. Flesh of fine quality is actually 
3A 
Pi ey 
(on 
nn nn 
~ ES 
