Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-03-01
LIVE E STOCK.
sHORTHORN CATTLE.

will probably never be carried into. opera
? ton, as there are.too many w~ell-grounded
e objections to it. A contributor to the Jour-
nal of the Royal Agriculturul Society says
that in attempting to describe the proper
ties which a good Shorthorn ought to pos
sess, the difficulty would be lessened if they
were all of one age and one size; the rela-
tive proportions of each part might then be
defined with precision and accuracy-so that
by applying the scale the defects of symme-
try would be imm ediately discovered with
out such a test we are left to form our WI
opinion from experience, and observation OF
such animals as have met with general APP
II rotation. asf s rap
In handling a beast we proceedto put the
hand on those parts usually called points,
commencing at the rump, thence to the hip,
loin, rib, crop, shoulder, neck-vein, fore.
breast, back-breast, flank, twist, etc. De-
scribing these several points, so as to be
carried into practice, has always been a diff
1icult undertaking., and for ever must re-
main so, as a difference OF opinion will al
ways exist on this subject. When the breast
is in a lean state, the rurnp bone should be
- NFB
about two inches off, and the upper part Of
it level, or even with the under side of the
tail. When the rumpbone lies near to the
a tail, it shows the, smallest quantity lof fat
laid on that part but, the general dislike to
this is proved by the name of s Tom Fools
Fat'' being given to it. When narrow in
this part, there is always a want ofsubstance
and lean flesh between that and the hip.
The. distance from the hip and rllmp should
be long and full of lean flesh; the hips
should be wide especially those of a female.
The shape of the hip is difficult to de-
scribe but should be something like a round
pointed triangle, with one end hanging
downwards, and on putting the fingers on
the centre, a hollow will be found. The
loin should be. flat and wide, and when lean,
two knobs, or pens should be felt, which
when fat will be the case Of two ribs, called
false ribs, which connect the hip and ribs to-
gether in mass. The part commonly called
the space from the hip to the rib, is gen
orally recommended to be short, but still it
must be borneih mind that the beef on this
part is of more value than any other; and if
liz o1li NC hlb anu ~ JILL tIC IID lll&Ii
and round, no i'll effects will proceed from a
moderate length of space, and it unquestion-
ably gives that length and grandeur to the
character of an animal which is very desira-
BILE lit is the want OF q wide loin and round
rib, and not the length of space, which
causes gut.
The rib should come well out of the back
and be broad, round and. deep. Git, has been
taught that the top of the back, and under
meath the belly should form two parallel
lines, but there are few g~raziers who do not
knowthe value of Il good body. On putting
the fingers or thumb on each side of the rib,
and drawing them together, the skinsllould
be thick, plant and mellow, and the hand
be filled with long, soft, hair, and the feet
underneath should be smooth and pleasant
The s~enation drived from,a fine touch is de-
ligitful to an amateur breeder, but cannot
be defined few things Denote a good hardy
constitution more than Il soft, thick skin, full
oflong hair. Putting the fingers and thumb
on each side of the rib as above described is
called '.quaIitysn, 1t is said the term origi-
mated in Smithfield, but Charles Colling
knew no such word rs applicable to inclina-
ton to fatten.
Quality is frequently used to denote
Iirmness of flesh, and sometimes it is misap-
piled, as in hardness of flesh, but seldom
used to signify inclination to iatten; the
mistake in this particular has done much
harm TO many herds Of Siorthorns. Let
handling and quality go together in d fat an