About this time, whether he is castrated or whether he is “twisted,” he preserves always the altered form of the bull, and is less sought for work, and in less request for butchering.
When the operations of castration and twisting are done too late, the animal has less predisposition to fatten; his flesh is harder and tougher; he is, however, in appearance in the same conditions of age, of quality, and of nourishment, as those castrated earlier.
Often bulls, whose character is docile and gentle, become wild and furious when they are used to serve.
In certain regions, to tame them, they put a ring of iron in their nose; in others, where the good use of these rings is not known, they are obliged to castrate or twist them. This operation suffices, generally, to control their passion; but, if not, they are sent to the butcher.
Classification of Bull Reproducers.
There are for bulls, as for cows, ten classes or families; each class sub-divided into several orders, and each order comprises three grades, high, medium, and low.
I only admit, in each class, three orders. If one wishes to proceed in the application with more rigor, he will follow the sub-divisions of the classification of the cows. I will designate the three orders of each class by the denominations of good, medium, and bad.
The signs indicating the qualities which render the bull likely to beget good milk cows are placed, like those of the female, on the posterior parts. They start from the bag, and rise up to the anus, covering, also, the genital parts, and the scrotum.
With bulls, the escutcheons start from the anterior part of the bag, extending inside, and upon the hams, projecting on the thighs; from there, the curved lines, obtuse or acute, following the class, joining to the right or the left under the anus.
The escutcheon, in all its extent, is shown by the fineness of the hair, and the skin; by the color, more or less yellow, of the epidermis, and of the particles of dandruff which can be detached.