The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-09-03
agricultural department.
BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Shorthorns and Their Points.
Ribs SHOULD NE BARREL SHAPED.


Ribs SHOULD NE BARREL SHAPED.
The ribs rising well from the spine, Civ.
ing to the body a round or barrel shane.
gives much more room to the organs with.
in, the heart and lungs, than there would
De If the ribs descended in such manner
as to give fiat side. A beast with fat
sides, and consequently barrow thorax,
will lack greatly in vigor and health, and
all the essential qualities that constitute
a good bullock. a bad rib gives poor
space to the abdominal organs which lie
Immediately behind those of the chest.
unless the belly is greatly sagged, which
is generally the case, as nature frequent
ly, to relieve one deiormity, adds anoth-
or.
THE LoIN SHOULD DE WIDE.
This is an interesting point to those
who love choice bits and are willing to
pay well for them. The butcher makes
large estimates here, and is sure to suit
liberal purchasers. But nature is ever
true to herself, for here as elsewhere, be-
meath broad loin, she has provided large
space for important organs, as the bowels,
kidneys, and the organs of the pelvs.
The rump Of u good Short Horn is a
very nice point. The back should ex-
tend out straight to the setting on Of the
tail. The thigh should pass up to this
point nearly straight, so as to make the
junction a right angle, This point, in
many beasts will be found to be circle,
which is unsi lightly, and causes a loss OF
prime beef
THE LEGS.
The legs should be short. There are
precisely the same reasons for objecting
to long legs chat there are to long necks
or long bodies Observation proves
leggy animal to be not so good feeder
as one with short limbs The bone of the
leg should be firm and smooth, and not
too large. The legs should stand well
under the animal, aud the hooks directly
in line with the body, SO that in moving
the hooks will be well separated, or about
as far apart as the hind feet The fore
legs should be straight and stand well
under the chest, that the animal may
have an easy and free movement The
inner side Of the fore leg, as it passes the
sternum, presents bevecd appearance.
to bring the limbs to their proper posi-
tion beneath.
Upon the proper position of the limbs
depends that ease and gracefulncss with
which bullock should move. 1t NAV
be thought Of no consequence bow bull
lock moves so that he is able to get to the
market But be assured there is much
in it. 1t evinces strength and health
which are indispensable iu feeding. |
have seen Short. Horus carrying two
thousand pounds and upwards, with limbs
so perfect that their movements w,re as
nimble as if they were carrying but
thousand.
THE TOUCH.
BY this the butcher ascertains before
hand the quality of the flesh. BY it the
breeder ascertains the aptitude to fattep
as well as the quality and quantity Of
flesh that the animal will carry. OF all
the qualities of the TX this is probably
the most difficult to understand. 1t is
the peculiar sensation OF softuess and
elasticity that is produced by the pres.
sure Of the hand upon the different parts
of the body. This sensation depends, 10
part, upon large cellular development
beneath the skin and betHeen the mus.
Giles, and in part upon the muscular struc-
ture Itself. The hardness of the smiths
arm depends upon its muscular structure,
adapting itself to the lsborious duties it
has to perform, whilst the arm ofthe man
of leisure is much softer. 1t is there
fore, to the cellular and mu. cular tissue
that this sensation of touch is to be at.
tributed. 1t it very common to find the
sottening Of The muscular fibre as an &C.
compartment or precursor of disease
that may mislead. The same may be oh.
served in the aged of both mau and beast.
What is "touch," or what is to "handle
well ~ How is it to be distinguished
from that which portends bad health and
old age? BY its elasticity. Its power
to replace the parts when pressed. A
springy sensation. Mellowuess from d.
sease has sluggish feel, and moves
slowly under the hand to less extent,
1t is true, still something of the same that
is manifested in the pressure of the fin
gers on dropsical lamb as compared
with healthy one. In the one the in.
dentatons replace themselves sluggishly,
whilst in the other with ready elastici.
ty.
1t will require much practice to be-
come an adept in this knowledge Still
many useful lessons may be daily had by
the examination and handling of ones
own stock. Comparative handling will
afford much assistance. Take those ami.
mails that are known to accumulate fat
readily and largely, as the opossum or
the bear, or any other known to take on
fat readily, and you will find peculiarly
soft and mellow touch" Those breeds |
OF swine as the Chinese and the Siamese,
that are known to accumulate fat largely,
as compared with some of the poorer
woods breeds, will offer good and ready
Illustrations. But probably the most
ready illustration will be found in man
himself, All that class of persons dis.
posed to corpulency will be found to nave
soft, mellow touch, whilst those dis.
posed 10 leanness will be found rigid and
hard. This may be readily recognized
IN the shaking of hands. A very deli.
cate lady may sometimes be found to
have hard hand as well US sharp
tongue Smooth, soft skios will also be
found belonging to this class of persons
THE SKIN.
The skin should be thick, soft and elias.
SIGHTING alike either poor or fat
OK. A lean animal with an inelastic
skin stretched upon him, could not iaiten
for the want of space to expand 10. But
with an elastic skin he NAV he swelled 10