THE DAIRY. 



185 



The Escutcheon. The escutcheon is that surface of the udder, perineum, and the 

 thighs, where the hair grows upward or contrary to that on the remaining portion of the 

 body. Escutcheons may extend, according to their class, from the center of the four teats to 

 the level of the upper extremity of the vulva, or fall considerably short of it, sometimes 

 reaching in those of a lower class not half that distance; in any case, the broader it extends 

 upon the thighs, and the lower down and higher up the broad portion covers, and the higher 

 up and the broader the vertical portions are, and the more uniform the shape, the more 

 perfect the escutcheon. 



Escutcheons are classified according to their form or configuration, and characterize and 

 distinguish the ten classes which constitute Guenon s system, each class being estimated by 

 the limits of the escutcheon. The extreme 

 limits are the hams, the interior surface of 

 the legs, and the vulva, variations from 

 these limits determining the different 

 grades. The lower half or broadest por 

 tion of the escutcheon is of nearly similar 

 shape in all the classes, the principal differ 

 ence being that in the lower classes it is 

 not so broad or so high up, while the ver 

 tical portions gradually diminish in height 

 and width until, in the tenth class, there 

 are none. 



The lower part of the escutcheon, or 

 that running out on the thighs, is some 

 times called the thigh escutcheon, while the 

 upper part which extends up to or towards 

 the vulva is called the vertical portion. The 

 thigh escutcheon in all classes resembles in 

 outline a round -pointed shovel, while the 

 vertical portion resembles somewhat the 

 handle. The vertical or upper portions 

 are what distinguish mostly one escutcheon 

 from another, and it is in this part that the 

 blemishes usually appear. 



According to the Guenon system, the 



thigh escutcheon indicates the quantity of milk the cow will give; the upper portion, or ver 

 tical escutcheon, the time she will continue in milk; and the color of the skin, the feel of it, 

 and the character of the hair on the escutcheon, the quality of milk. 



In connection with these three points, there are two other considerations, and these are 

 the size and breed of the animal. Guenon graded his estimates for three sizes of cows, the 

 high, the medium, the low. It would be absurd to judge of the large-sized breeds with those 

 of the small, such as the Jersey, for instance, on these points, although both might have 

 escutcheons of the first order. 



A good escutcheon may be described as follows: A large mirror, having the same form on 

 both sides; continuation of the mirror and of the same color and quality of hair under the 

 tail, the further the better; yellowish hair in the mirror, from which, on rubbing, a yellowish 

 dust or dandruff appears; close, fine, soft, silky hair in the mirror on the udder, and in the 

 secondary marks. 



A poor escutcheon, or bad signs in a milker, are: A small and irregular mirror; coarse, 

 bristly, thin hair in the mirror, on the udder, and in the secondary marks; large secondary 

 signs. As a general rule, the coarser and longer the hair the poorer the milk. 



ESCUTCHEON OR MILK-MIRROR. 



