VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 



the loafer. Or it may be capacity that has been overlooked, 

 and consequences equally as discouraging occur. 



So long as the animal may draw upon the stored-up 

 tissues of the body wonderful production continues, but when 

 this has become exhausted the animal is not capable of con- 

 suming a sufficient amount of food to keep up the work, she 

 declines rapidly in her milk flow and is retired to the ranks 

 of those that lack persistency. 



Such cows are difficult for even the most expert feeder 

 to manage. When they freshen and he gradually increases 

 their daily rations they respond readily and continue to do 

 so, reassuring the feeder every time a small amount of feed 

 is added to their ration. Not expecting that the limit of 

 capacity is so near when response to increased feed is so 

 marked, the cow is overfed before her weakness is recognized. 



Great as may be the development of all other parts, if 

 the significance of the nervous temperament is overlooked 

 the cow will simply loaf, and there will be neither greatness 

 of production nor persistency. 



In the same manner a circulatory system of the right 

 sort dove-tails with the other essentials. 



When this system is sluggish or developed in such a 

 way that it carries the blood to other parts of the body 

 than the udder there will be a rapidly decreasing milk flow 

 as soon as the maternal instincts of the cow have passed their 

 state of greatest stimulation. 



No Point Can Be Overlooked 



Therefore, in selecting and breeding cows it must be 

 borne in mind that, important as any four of the essential 

 points may be, they are to a great degree worthless unless 

 accompanied by the fifth. 



Careful consideration of all the characteristics indicative 

 of these essentials will by experience in their use aid greatly 

 in selecting and breeding cattle of the useful sort, and many 

 counterfeits that might otherwise find their way into the 

 herd may be discovered before it is too late. 



To avoid confusion and the overlooking of one or more 

 of the significant indices of development or the lack of it in 

 any part it is well to acquire a systematic method of examin- 

 ing the animal. 



Examining the Animal 



It is always advisable to take in the general appearance 

 of the animal first, for in many instances this is all that is 

 necessary. To the experienced eye the first impression shows 

 it to be faulty in one or more of the essential qualities. This 



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