II Sept., 1911.] TI/c '' EsciitcJicou ": A Guide I0 Milking Merit. 595 



The deteriorating significance of the various adverse tufts must be de- 

 termined from the extent of escutcheon they misplace. A full Flanders 

 with two good ovals would be in the top class of its variety at tw^enty-two 

 quarts or over for a big cow, down to sixteen quarts — or even less — for a 

 small cow ; and the milk flow would he sustained close up to each calving. 

 On a medium cow, an escutcheon slightly narrower, and showing but one, or 

 no oval, would mark an eighteen-quart maximum; and, if a babian or 

 ischiatic tuft of any considerabli^-.size were showing, it would point to the 

 cow drying off some six weeks Before calving. The smaller the escutcheon 

 i.s, and the more tufts there are present, the greater will be the reduction 

 in both the yield and the milking term. 



In Tig. 4 we ha\e a marked example of the encroachment on a Left 

 Flanders of the buttock and thigh tufts. This is a heifer calf alx)ut eight 

 months old ; and, judging from the width of the escutcheon on both thighs, 

 if it were not for the tufts she would be in the B class, and make into a 

 sixteen-quart cow. The right cuissard {a), however, runs in to the udder 

 from the thigh, reducing the breadth there. The left buttock — or ischiatic 

 tuft {c) — is also unusually long; and another long tuft is .shown below it 

 on the left, running in to the udder in the position of the left cuissard, 

 which is an unusual formation. The effect of these tufts is the placing of 

 this heifer at least not higher than the minimum in the C class j for it is 

 more than probable that she will not hold to more than six months, and her 

 maximum will be fourteen quarts. This happened to be the only photo- 

 graph of a Left Flanders available for illustration; so, in order to under- 

 stand the shape of this \ariety, it is necessary to consider it as if both tufts 

 on the left were absent. 



ill the three escutcheons showii of the St-hage \aricty. Fig. 5 has good 

 breadth and shape, but both babian and perineal tufts are present ; Fig. 7 

 — a heifer — fails in breadth, and is also somewhat short; while Fig. 6 

 has even shape, fair breadth, and is free from adverse tufts. With udder 

 ovals, and a little more width at thigh, this would make a Selvage of the 

 A class. 



Turning to those of the Curveline as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, 

 the first is very narrow, hardly reaching the thigh; the next is very fair 

 in width, but is slight!) reduced by the right cuissard; while the last, though 

 slightly uneven in the upper outline and showing a small left cuissard, has 

 good width. This, supported by a full nvsian. makes this escutcheon the 

 best of the three. 



If the several forms of escutcheons wtre of regular shape, and the tufts 

 occurred in any definite order, the placing of the respective values would 

 be a much easier matter; but the variation in both is nniiarkable — in fact, 

 it is a rare thing to find two that are closely identical. 



A peculiarity of the escutcheon is that almost invariably the left side 

 ly larger than the right ; while the tufts and ovals are also more frequently 

 found to the left. 



\ further |)eculiarity is that where there is uniformity of breeding in 

 .1 hrrcl. there will be much more evenness hi tht- variety of e.scutcheon than 

 among mixed or crossl>red stock ; though there will he still much variation 

 in the minor characteristii s. From this, it is certain that a closer estimate 

 of the maximum yiekl of an animal should bt> iK)s.sible In one who is 

 familiar with the gem-ral (]iialitv of thf strain from which it has descended 

 than bv one not acquainted therewith. There are breeds, and strains of 

 breefls, in which heavy milk prodn.tion has l>een given special atttMition ; 



