Examining Animals for Soundness and Health
In purchasing farm stock, it is a good plan to deal with reputable
people only. Leave the horse trader alone. He knows too many tricks, and
if you are a stranger to him you can be pretty certain that he will try
one on you--just for fun.
Fortunately farmers sell to strangers more frequently than they buy of
them, and when they seek new stock they deal largely with breeders, who,
like themselves, are farmers and not given to the tricks of low and
disreputable methods; nevertheless, every purchaser of stock should be
familiar with animal form and able to recognize defects and faults when
he sees them. This is as much his business as to breed, raise or feed
the stock on his farm.
LOOKING THE ANIMAL OVER
Know what form you want; draft and speed represent different types, so
do dairy and beef. With all classes of farm stock there are a few points
that are desirable in all stock. One of these is width between the eyes.
No animal of any breed or class possessed of a narrow forehead is at all
perfect. A wide forehead is one of the absolute beauties.
These are desirable characters of all farm animals; they represent
culture and refinement and good breeding. The purchaser or breeder,
therefore, should not only know conformation, but he should know
quality.
SPECIAL TYPE IN HORSES
Our breeds of horses may be divided into three general classes. Those
used for speed, those for draft and those with a mixture of the two--a
general purpose sort of horse. The speed or trotting horse has its
distinct type; it has been evolving and developing through a long series
of years.
Briefly, its conformation may be described as follows: A wide forehead,
fairly long head, a long neck that is thin and agile, a narrow chest as
you look at it from the front, but very deep as you look from the side,
long sloping shoulders, rather long back, a long horizontal croup, small
barrel, fairly long forearm, long cannon bones and feet that are well
shaped and perfect in every respect. Looking at the animal from the side
it should be as high over the hips or higher than over the withers.
The draft horse, on the other hand, has a different conformation. There
is not that elongation of his parts, although there is a symmetry of
parts and of proportion. There should be the width between the eyes; the
clean, neat face; a graceful neck, which should be shorter and more
heavily muscled than that of the speed horse. The chest should be wide,
both from the front and side, the back short but heavily muscled, the
croup strong and not so horizontal as with the speed type, the quarters
heavily muscled and the cannon bone short.
The feet should be as perfect as those of the speed horse. In both types
the knee should be thick, deep, and broad and the hocks wide. The narrow
hock is not so well able to stand heavy strain, consequently curb
diseases readily follow where the conformation shows narrow hocks.
Another difference between the two types is found in the muscles. The
speed type throughout has long, thin, narrow muscles--muscles that
stretch a long way and contract quickly.
[Illustration: BAD ATTITUDES DUE TO CONFORMATION
In the first, the toes are turned out. The middle picture shows in-kneed
attitude and the third shows in-turned toes. Whether standing or
traveling, the appearance is unpleasant and mitigates against the value
of the animals.]
With the draft horse it is different: the muscles are shorter, but they
are heavy; they are less quick in their action, but they are more
powerful. In both types good proportions are always desirable. The width
between the eyes should be as much or more than one-third the length of
the head. The distance from the point over the shoulders to the ground
should be about equal to the distance from the point over the hips to
the ground; and in turn this distance, whatever it is, should be about
equal to the length of the horse from the point of the shoulder to the
point of the buttock.
Looking at the horse in front if a line be dropped from the point of the
shoulder it should halve the fore leg, the knee, the cannon, and the
hoof. And the width of the third hoof, if placed between the two front
feet, should give the attitude that is desirable.
Looking at the horse from the rear, the same attitude is to be observed.
Of course, many horses do not possess these qualities and proportions;
and because they do not is the very reason that their beauty,
efficiency, and value are less.
EXAMINING ANIMALS IN THE STABLE
In going into the stable look the animals over quietly. Observe how they
stand, breathe, eat, and act generally. Are they nervous? Does one swing
his head from side to side? Does he kick, paw, put back his ears, or
does he have any of the other common stable vices that are unpleasant
and undesirable? As you look about and pass back and forth, you will get
the evidence of these stable vices, if such are to be found.
Look particularly for cribbing, wind sucking, kicking and crowding.
Pawing is just as bad. If you want animals with good stable manners pass
by those possessing these ugly faults. The next step is to examine the
animals individually; those that “look good” to you. No doubt you will
find some that do not interest you for one reason or another. These need
no further attention, unless you have overlooked some fact, in which
case your attention will likely be called to it.
In making the individual examination, go up to the animal in the stall,
place your hand on the hip, and gently press it. If no stringhalt
afflicts the horse, he will move over, allowing you to pass into the
stall. The same applies to the cow. If well trained, she will make room
for you by moving over at the same time, if you do this on the proper
side, and she will put back her hind foot, as if she were about to be
milked.
This casual observation would not be possible if force were used or the
animal excited by loud commands or by a whip or strap. The halter
teaches its lesson also. A heavy rope or leather suggests that the
animal has a pulling back vice, a habit you want to avoid. Light halters
for horses and cattle are to be preferred to chains, heavy leather, or
ropes.
REAL TEST IS OUT OF DOORS
Now that you have seen all of the animals for sale, ask the owner to
lead them out of doors for a more careful examination. In this you will
inspect the animal very carefully in order to be certain of the
conformation, defects, and blemishes, and to acquaint yourself
specifically as to health and disposition.
Cast your eyes over the animal, front, side, and rear. Pass around the
animal, keeping some distance away. By so doing you can judge of type
and conformation, of proportions and attitudes; for each of these is
important. A beefy-looking cow, with a thick neck, square body and small
udder will not suit you for milk. Neither will a cow with a long, thin
neck, open, angular body, thin thighs, and heavy, deep paunch meet your
needs if you are seeking breeding stock for beef production.
If you are examining a horse, keep in mind the purpose for which you are
selecting. Remember the long, thin neck, very oblique shoulder, long
cannon, long back, and long thin muscles are not adequate for draft. On
the other hand, if you want a horse for road purposes, avoid the heavy
muscles, the short neck, the heavy croup, and the heavy thighs. These
mean draft--an animal for heavy work.
SPECIAL TYPE IN CATTLE
The milk cow should have a very soft, mellow skin, and fine, silky hair.
The head should be narrow and long, with great width between the eyes.
This last-mentioned characteristic is an indication of great nervous
force, an important quality for the heavy milker. The neck of the good
dairy cow is long and thin, the shoulders thin and lithe and narrow at
the top. The back is open, thin, and tapering toward the tail. The hips
are wide apart and covered with little meat.
The good cow is also thin in the regions of the thigh and flank, but
very deep through the stomach girth, made so by long open ribs. The
udder is large, attached well forward on the abdomen, and high behind.
It should be full, but not fleshy. The lacteal or milk veins ought also
to be large and extend considerably toward the front legs.
The beef cow is altogether different: she is square in shape, full and
broad over the back and loins, and possesses depth and quality,
especially in these regions. The hips are even with flesh, the legs full
and thick, the under line parallel with the straight back. The neck is
full and short, the eyes bright, the face short, the bones of fine
texture, the skin soft and pliable, and the flesh mellow, elastic, and
rich in quality.
In other words, a beef cow is square and blocky, while the dairy cow is
wedge-shaped and angular. The one stores nutriment in her body; the
other gives it off. The one is a miser, and stores all that she gets
into her system; the other is a philanthropist and gives away all that
comes into her possession.
It will be seen, therefore, that the two types are radically different.
This difference is due to breeding, not to feeding, nor to management.
If you are seeking good milk cows, you must look for form and
conformation. If you are looking for beef cows, you must also look for
form and conformation, but of a different kind. With this knowledge to
back you up and to guide you, you are now ready to make an examination
of animals that will meet your purpose.
GOING OVER THE ANIMAL IN DETAIL
After making these general observations you are now ready to examine the
animal. Begin with the head. How is the eye? Dull, weak, without
animation? If so, be on your guard. The good eye shows brightness,
intelligence, and it must be free from specks. By placing the hand over
the eye for a few moments you will be able to detect its sensitiveness
to light. Do you find any discharge of any kind from the eye? If so,
some inflammation is present. Try to ascertain the cause.
=The Nostril As An Index.=--A large, open nostril is desirable. Look for
that character first. Now observe the color of the lining. To be just
right, it should be healthy-looking, of a bright rose-pink color, and it
should be moist. A healthy nostril is one free from sores, ulcers,
pimples, and any unpleasant odor. Be careful here; an unscrupulous
dealer can very easily remove discharges and odors by sponging and
washing, and you may be deceived.
[Illustration: EWE NECK
The neck is one of the beauty points of the horse. In purchasing animals
look carefully to conformation and quality. Let these also be guiding
principles in breeding.]
=Looking In the Mouth.=--Always look in the mouth; you have the tongue,
teeth, jaws, and glands to see. Naturally, you, like every other person,
consider the teeth first; you want to be certain of the age. This
feature is discussed elsewhere in this book, and all in addition that
needs to be said is in reference to the shape of the teeth, whether or
not they are diseased or worn away by age or by constant cribbing of the
manger. Of course these facts you will think of as you examine the
mouth.
Give the tongue a second of your time. If it is scarred and shows rough
treatment a harsh bit is likely the cause, due to its need in driving
and handling.
Then give a thought to the glands while here. Enlarged glands may
indicate some scrofulous or glanderous condition of the system.
=Neck and Throat.=--A beautiful neck and throat is an absolute beauty in
the horse or cow. The skin should be thin, mellow, and soft, and the
hair not over thick nor coarse. Look for poll-evil at the top of the
neck and head. See if swellings, lumps or hard places are to be found at
the sides of the neck, or underneath joining the throat. I have found
such very frequent with dairy cattle; and cases are not unusual with
horses.
Frequently scars are to be found on the sides or bottom of the neck.
These may be due to scratches caused by nails, barb-wire or some similar
accident, and again they may have been caused by sores, tumors, or other
bad quality of the blood.
=Body and Back.=--Passing the side, look over the withers for galls or
fistulæ, the shoulders for tumors, collar puffs, and swellings. Observe
at the same time if there is any wasting of the muscles on the outside
along the shoulder.
Now the back. Is it right as to shape? Do you find any evidence of sores
or tumors? Look for these along the sides and belly. Now stoop a bit and
look under; do you find anything different from what is natural? In
males look for tumor or disease of the penis; do the same with the
scrotum, and, in case of geldings scrutinize carefully to see if they
be ridgelings.
While making this examination, if the animal is nervous and fretful, you
can help matters along if an assistant holds up a fore leg. Take the
same precaution when examining the hind quarters and legs. By doing so,
you will avoid being kicked and can run over the parts more quickly and
satisfactorily.
Before leaving the body observe if the hips are equally developed, and
the animal evenly balanced in this region. Both horses and cattle are
liable to hip injury, one of the hips being frequently knocked down.
Make sure that both are sound and natural.
=Fore Legs and Front Feet.=--Now step to the front again for a careful
examination of the front legs and feet. Starting with the elbow, examine
for capped elbow; now the knee. It should be wide, long, and deep, and
at the same time free from any bony enlargements. The knees must stand
strong, too. Is the leg straight? Do you observe any tendency of the
knee to lean forward out of line, showing or indicating a “knee sprung”
condition? Just below the knee, do you find any cuts or bunches or scars
due to interference of the other foot in travel? Look here also for
splints; follow along with the fingers to see if splints are present--on
the inside of the leg.
Be particular about the cannon. The front should be smooth--you want no
bunches or scars. Just above the fetlock feel for wind puffs; and note
if about the fetlock and pastern joints there are any indications of
either ringbones, bunches, or puffs. Now look for side bones; if
present, you will find them just at the top of the hoof. They may be on
either side. Sidebones are objectionable, and are the lateral
cartilages changed into a bony structure.
Give the foot considerable attention. The old law of the ancients, “no
feet, no horse,” is certainly true in our day. You can overlook many
other imperfections and troubles in the horse, but if the feet are bad
you do not have much of a horse. A good foot is well shaped, with a
healthy-looking hoof and no indication of disease either now or ever
before.
See that the shape is agreeable. A concave wall is not to be desired,
and the heels are not to be contracted. The wall should be perfect--no
sand cracks, quarter crack, or softening of the wall at the toe of the
foot.
=Examine for Corns.=--These are both troublesome and cause much
lameness. A healthy frog, uninjured by the knife or the blacksmith or
other cause is very much to be preferred.
[Illustration: ANATOMY OF THE FOOT
The delicate nature of the foot is readily recognized when the various
parts are considered in their relation to each other.]
=Hind Legs and Feet.=--In examining these regions give the hocks of the
horse special attention. No defect is more serious than bone spavin. You
can, as a rule, detect this by standing in front of the horse just a
little to the side. If there is any question about the matter, step
around to the other side and view the opposite leg. This comparison will
let you out of the difficulty, as it is very unusual that this defect
should be upon both legs at the same point and developed to the same
degree.
A spavin is undesirable for the reason that it often produces serious
lameness, which frequently is permanent. As it is a bone enlargement, it
is something that cannot be remedied. If you are seeking good horses,
better reject such as have any spavin defect.
In this same region between the hock and the fetlock curbs troubles are
located. They appear at the lower part of the hock, directly behind. You
can readily detect any enlargement if you will step back five or six
feet. The curb, while it may not produce lameness, is altogether
undesirable. It looks bad; it shows a weakness in the hock region and
often is caused by overwork, consequently the animal with curb disease
is one that has not measured up to the work demanded of him.
Just above and to the rear of the hock the thorough-pin disease appears,
and just in front of and slightly toward the inner side of the hock bog
spavin is sometimes to be found. Lameness may come from either of these
diseases. Small tumors, puffs and other defects frequently show
themselves on the hind legs and the best way is to reject animals having
them. While some of these may be caused by accident, the most of them
are the result of bad conformation, due to heredity, unimproved blood
and bad ancestors.
EXAMINING FOR LAMENESS
Lameness comes from many causes; maybe from soreness, from disease or
from wounds. And lameness is hard to detect. Frequently it seems to be
in the shoulder, when in fact it is a puncture in the foot. Again it may
seem to be in the fetlock, but the trouble is in the shoulder or fore
leg. You must examine for lameness both in the stable and out of the
stable. If you find the horse standing squarely upon three feet and
resting the fourth foot, you should be suspicious. If you move the horse
about and he assumes the same attitude again and still again, you can be
certain that he is assuming that position because he wants to rest some
part of that member.
In testing out the horse for lameness, let no excitement prevail. Under
such excitement the horse forgets his lameness or soreness for the time
being, and you do not note the trouble. A quiet, slow walk or trot on as
hard a road as possible is a desirable sort of examination to give.
TESTING THE WIND
The free breathing of a horse may be interfered with, and for two
reasons. Roaring or whistling, as it is called, is a serious disease of
the throat, and, at the same time, an incurable disease. The second
disease is known as heaves or bellows, and is also a most serious
disease, because it is also incurable. By the use of drugs relief may be
given temporarily, but no permanent cure follows. Unscrupulous dealers
will resort to dosing for the time being, or until a sale is made.
You should guard against this trouble, however, for it is one of the
most serious that a horse can have. Upon this subject, Butler has the
following to say: “To test the wind and look for two serious conditions
and others which may be present, the animal should be made to run at
the top of his speed for some considerable distance--a couple hundred
yards or more. Practically this run or gallop should be up hill, which
will make the test all the better. After giving the horse this gallop,
stop him suddenly, step closely up to him and listen to any unusual
noise, indicating obstruction of the air passages, and also observe the
movements of the flanks for any evidence of the big double jerky
expulsion of the air from the lungs characteristic of heavers.”
TESTING OF THE PACES
No examination is complete that does not make a test of the paces. You
want to know how fast the horse can walk, how he trots or paces or how
he takes some other gait. Some horses make these movements very
gracefully; others very unmannerly. A well-acting horse is one that
moves smoothly, regularly, who picks up his feet actively and who places
them firmly in their position regardless of the ground or gait. Some
horses have a rolling movement of the legs. Avoid these. Others step on
the toe or heel. These, too, should be avoided. They suggest some defect
or bad conformation.
The testing of the paces brings all parts of the body into play and
assists in catching other blemishes or defects that you may have
overlooked in your previous examination. It gives you another
opportunity to examine the wind, to observe the respiration, the heart
beatings, the condition of the nostril after work; it shows you also how
the animal takes his pace and how he stands. All of this will be of
value as indicating the soundness and health of the individual under
observation.
CONSIDERING FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE
Now, as a last factor of your examination, consider the uses to which
the animal is put. If you are looking for breeding animals be sure to
know that the udder is not injured. Of what use is a cow with a bad
udder? How often do we find a quarter of the udder destroyed or a teat
cut or so badly mangled as to be of little use! Some udders are dead,
heavy, fleshy; some are diseased, lumpy; and even though the animal is
otherwise good you must reject her.
If the udder is good, superior in many respects, and shows great milk
production, you can often afford to overlook other defects, especially
if the result of accident.
In the case of horses, a disease or blemish due to accident may be
overlooked, if the work to which the animal will be subjected does not
interfere, let us say, for breeding purposes. The horse has good
conformation, good quality, is healthy and very superior, but
unfortunately a leg was broken. Shall she be rejected as a breeder? No
heavy work will be required of her--she is wanted for colt raising. Take
her; of course you will pay less for her. This accident interferes in no
way with her value for breeding purposes. Many cases of accidental
injuries are similar to this example among cattle and horses.
A good rule is to reject those having defects or blemishes that
interfere with functional activity or the work to which you wish to put
them. Then, as breeders, reject all with constitutional defects, as bad
feet, narrow hocks, coarse disease-appearing bones, and bad conformation
and scrubby character.