52 Journal or the Department or Agriculture. — July, 1928. 



with a deficient heart-girth, high tliough her production may be, is 

 alwaj^s objectionable. 



We have mentioned the broad, strong muzzle as being an 

 indication of feeding capacity. In that muzzle we look also for two 

 big, open nostrils, which are an indication of breathing capacity, and 

 as such of strong \vell-developed lungs. 



The Points of the Dairy Cow. 



The whole of a dairy cow should have a refined, feminine 

 appearance, long and wedge-shaped. In order to get this, the points 

 to look for are : — 



Head. — Rather long, not too wide between the horns, but widen- 

 ing out between the eyes, narrowing down again from the eyes 

 towards the muzzle. 



i^/?^^^Ze.— Broad and strong with big, open nostrils. 



Eyes. — Big, clear, and with soft expression. 



Neck. — Long, thin, and practically free of dew-lap and joining 

 iui equally thin and bare shoulder. 



Shoulder Blades. — Coming nicely to a point on the withers, 

 but sufficiently apart at the base, giving plenty of room through the 

 heart girth. 



Back. — Strong, straight, with vertebrae well apart. 



Hindquarter. — Broad and square in order to give room for the 

 reproductive organs. 



Ribs. — Long, wide apart, and well sprung. 



Legs. — Of sufficient strength to carry the animal, placed 

 squarely, and a square walk when in motion. 



Udder. — High and full behind, and extending well forward 

 under the belly, divided in four even quarters, free from fleshiness. 

 When empty, it should nearly lose its form and consist of folds 

 of soft pliable skin. 



The udder that is not extending under the belly, but is placed 

 in a sharp angle under it often points to the cow that may be a flush 

 milker just after calving, but very seldom a persistent one. The 

 cow of which the udder is not attached high behind very seldom is a 

 good producer at all. 



Teats. — Nicely shaped, medium size. The pointed teat, as a 

 rule, indicates a cow that is hard to milk. 



Milk Veins. — These should be thick, tortuous, and long, while 

 the milk wells, through which the veins pass into the body of the 

 cow, should be large. The artery that feeds the udder M-ith blood 

 from the heart is not noticeable, but runs under the spinal column; 

 the milk veins — those that run from the udder forward under the 

 belly — are important, as the size indicates the amount of blood that 

 has passed through the udder. The milk well should be taken spe- 

 cially into consideration when the cow is dry, for at that time the 

 milk veins are not so much in evidence, and a big well will indicate 

 a good vein. 



