Of foreign races of oxen, one of the most notable, on account of.its large size, is that in possession of the Kalmuck Tartars; another is that prevalent in the Roman states, generally of a bluish-ash color. remarkably large and spreading horns. A large white breed was long kept in Egypt; and a similar breed, without the hump character istic of the Indian ox, is found in South Africa, where, however, it has become partially intermixed with European breeds. Oxen are much employed by the Kaffers as beasts of burden; they were also formerly trained by the Hottentots to aid them in battle, Peter Kolbm, in his account of the cape of Good Hope, written in 1i05, giveS an interesting description of these trained fighting oxen, which, he says, arc called Backeleyers. the wars of the Hottentots with one another," he says, " these backeleyers make very terrible impressions. They gore, and kick, and trample to death with incredible fury." He ascribes to them also great docility, and states that they know every inhabitant of the kraal, and are perfectly inoffensive towards them, but ready to run with fury at strangers. The readiness with which the draught oxen of South Africa observe the words of the driver, is said to be almost, if not quite, equal to that of the dog; In the training of them, however, severe measures are often requisite, and particularly by a hooked stick inserted through the cartilage which separates the nostrils, as bulls are ringed when sent to exhibitions of cattle in Britain. Trained oxen are .also employed -in the training of their younger fellows. In some parts of Africa the ox is used for riding as well as for draught. The horns, which are very long, are split into ribbons, or curved in various directions to prevent their points from coming in contact, by any accident, with the person of the rider. The pace of the ox scarcely exceeds four or five miles an hour.
A very remarkable conformation of skull occurs in some of the herds of South American oxen, the bones of the nose and the jaw-bones being very much shortened; yet there is no question that this is a mere accidental variation, which has become per petuated as one of race. Importance has been attached to it in the discussions regard ing species.
The cow has been for ages tended by man on account of the agreeable and highly nutritious fluid which is obtained from it. Milk is manufactured into cheese and but te•, which are capable of being preserved for a considerable time. The processes by which these are obtained are described under the article DAIRY. Cows. under our mod ern systems of agriculture, are selected either for their properties of giving large quanti ties of or for raising stock which are well suited for grazing and 'fattening. For milking properties, the Ayrshire breed stands undoubtedly at the head of the list. In comparison with some of the other breeds, the Ayrshire is rather deficient in size, with the flesh spread thinly over its body. In the male animals these characteristics are all the more prominent, and for this reason the breed is not much liked by graziers. It is capable, however, of thriving on secondary or even inferior pastures. Wherever, there fore, it is found most profitable to follow dairy husbandry in Scotland, the Ayrshire cow is preferred. A. considerable variety of breeds are cultivated both for milking and graz
ing in the western parts of England, the •principal of which are the Herefords and Devons. In the eastern counties, again, where arable culture and the rearing and feed ing of cattle are chiefly followed, the Ayrshire gives place to the Aberdeen, the Angus, and the Teeswitter. The cow is there selected for its massive and square-built frame, soft skin, and meat-producing qualities. For more than a century vast care has been bestowed on the improvement of the short-horns. In this breed the pedigrees of the site and the dam arc traced back for many generations, and purity of blood is quite essential in herds of any pretensions. The large sums which particular cows and bons of this breed realize, attest the value which modern breeders set upon animals which are con sidered to approach perfection in their form and style. In no department of British agriculture are the results of care and :Mention more strongly marked than in the iniblo figure of the short-Muled cow or bull.
The rearing and fattening of the ox is one of the most important branches of agricul ture. Since the prices of butcher-meat have become so much higher relatively to corn in this country, the breeding and feeding of cattle have received a great impetus. Fifty years ago, many of our old breeds of cattle were kept till they were, four or live yeat;s old before they were sent fat to the butcher. The demand for meat was so limited then in the n., that most of the cattle were sent s. lean, to be fattened on the pastures and turnips of the eastern counties of England. The introduction of steam-shipping, followed by railways, has given the Scotch breeder and feeder great facilities for di-pos ing of fatted cattle, and now there are no lean cattle sent to the sonth. Indecd, the extension of green crops in Scotland has been so great that huge of lean cattle are imported from England, as well as Ireland to be fed in the stalls and courts during winter. This applies to the arable districts, wherh the land does lint more than one year in grass, In Aberdeenshire, where the land rests from three ti four years in grass, more cattle are bred and turned out fat, which is by far the most profitable sys tem, seeing the breeder often gets a larger share of the profits than the feeder. The short-horned blood is in great request to cross with the native breeds, rendering the prog eny much easier fattened, as w ell as causing them to grow to a larger size. It is now the most approved method to feed the coif from the time it is dropped till it is sent to the la.tcher. Oil-cake is generally considered the best and most healthy auxiliary food for stock, whether old or young. In the pastoral districts of _England, wh;:re little of the land is cultivated, the rearing of cattle to be sent into the arable districts is carried out. The young animals are fed with hay in winter instead of straw and turnips. Large numbers of cattle are fattened on turnips and mangold in winter in Norfolk and eastern counties. Large allowances of cake and corn are there given in addition to the roots.