JUDGING LJVE STOCK. 155 



with the dairy cow, the production of milk solids. In all 

 these various functions, the animal that is to represent any 

 one of them must show not only large capacity in the line 

 of that function, but also the ability to endure long and well 

 the strain of such function, and keep in good health. Con- 

 stitution is best indicated by a full development at the navel, 

 and strong abdominal walls, showing that the animal when 

 in a pre-natal state was abundantly nourished by the mother 

 through a well developed umbilical cord. 



Prepotency. 



In the scale of bulls, for the first time, we believe, in the 

 history of dairy breeds, this point is introduced. The reason 

 we have included it is that "prepotency" is the chief con- 

 sideration in the selection of all male breeding animals. The 

 pedigree and conformation is often all that can be desired, 

 but because the bull is lacking in prepotent breeding power 

 he is *an expensive failure. This quality is, in a sense, diffi- 

 cult to perceive or describe, but we know certain animals 

 have it in high degree and others fail of it completely. It is 

 fairly well indicated by vigor of appearance, strong resolute 

 bearing, and abundant nervous energy. We would distin- 

 guish this from an ugly disposition. A bull is ugly by the 

 way he is handled rather than by his breeding. What we 

 want is strong impressive blood. A dull, sluggish spirit and 

 action we consider indicative of a lack of true dairy pre- 

 potency, but we would prefer to breed to a rather sluggish 

 appearing bull with first-class rudimentaries than to a stylish 

 one with badly placed rudimentaries. 



Rudimentary Teats. 



We consider that a well balanced and well shaped udder 

 in the cow is largely due to the way the rudimentary teats 

 are placed on the sire. If they are crowded close together, 

 the result is likely to be narrow pointed udders. If they 

 are placed well apart, of good size, and well forward of the 

 scrotum, the effect, we think, will be to influence largely the 

 production of well shaped udders in the resulting heifers and 

 counteract the tendency to ill-shaped udders inheritable from 

 dams deficient in this respect. We believe the future ex- 

 cellence of the Guernsey cow will be greatly aided by close 

 attention on the part of her breeders to this point. 



