Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-04
On Judging Live Stock.

We have frequently been surprised at the
wonderful acutoncss Of good Judges Of live
stock horsoman will take in al glance
all the points Of horse, matching him in an
instant with another he saw six months be-
fore in a different State. So correct is his
eye and judgment in this respect that he will
pick out the best horse in q stable Of fifty by
passing behind them The breeder Of cattle,
likewise carries about 10 his eye all the diff
fercnt types Of animals II bull or COW
has a bIemish or defect be can place his hand
upon it in an instant and he can os instau.
tancously detect any element be requires TO
combine in his stock, or designate any partic-
ular animal TO cross with another in order 10
overcome defects in the one, aud obtain of.
springs that shall Zoe nearer his standard OF
shamblcs, who goes through the country aud
purchases iudiscriminatuly all classes OF ami
mails, will tell You the moment be touches a
steer just what ho eau pay for IT, bis iujg.
mcnt ON its live weight will not vary ten
pounds from what it will turn ON the scales,
aud he knows TO certainty its exact per-
centage of shrink.
Now it is very plain that much Of thi.
acutencss depends upon familiarity with the
different classes Of. animals, and upon long
practico-but at the same time IL il true that
those qualities which aid one in be oming a
good Judge Of horse, COW or yoke Of oxen,
are really inherent. Some men as naturally
take to horse as others d. to a yoke OF
oxen; and farmers boys early manifest their
preferences in this particular. But beyond
this there are certain things about judging OF
live stock that can be learned and these we
wish to get at--for it is an essential in the
education Of every farmer that he be a good
Judge Of stock
The principles Of judging au animal arc
few and simple, and in the main, very similar
for the cow sheep and pig--ihe meat pro
ducing kinds Common to all are the excel
lencies of the slopng shoulder, the angular
quarter, the tail well set on, the spriugnl
rib, the full eye the well proportional, airy
bearing Of the head aud neck, the SMALL fin,
nose, the strong loin, the mellow skin, tn,
easy gait, and the general mien Of dignity
and grace. These arc all indicative Of Tho
6rst-cass animal Of whatever breed In cd
dition to the above points, TO be low, lengthy
short jointed, broad of beam, are attributes t
value in each breed In fact Se place $
much value upon the motions Of an animal o.
quality generally oyerlookcd-,hat W
would make it obligatory upon commitie
men at fairs to award no prizes to cattle tina
they had not seen travel Do YOU not kno'
that buyers invariably start creature O.
that they may see the gait before Iurcha.
, ing? And what magic there is in the yer
touch of a skilfu judge Of neat stock
What would we not give possess the acute
= ness Of touch which reposes SO mysteriousl
2 in the hand Of Gideon Wells, Of Clinton, q
Mr.. L. l.. Lucas, Of St Alban-, or Dan Flu
ton, Of Bowdonham?
Now these leading principles are all tina
any one can hope to teach on paper aud
will be useful and interesting study for th
young farmer if he will spend few evening
in examining the outlines Of standard am
mails to be found in Youat's books. or eve
in Allen, on the cattle Of the United State
and Herbert on horses Having mastere
these forms and become familiar with thei
leading points and names, it will require pra,
tice to render one perfect in the art of iudl
ing an animal The show ground is an ey
cellcnt opportunity for putting these rules I
the test, and this opportunity should be take
advantage Of whenever occasion offers. j
on the alert 10 recognize on tho live aniini
the points Of excellence you have learnc
from the authorities just named and ucve
pass an animal without noticc-loan, fat
plain, picturesque, perfect, defective, in healt
or ailing-judge all by this standard, and b
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