A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



udders of quite limited capacity, and to make a fair study 

 of this gland, one should see it both full and empty. When 

 empty, the glands should be considerably shrunken, and, 

 when pressed by the hands, should feel uniformly mellow 

 and smooth to the touch. The judge should take the udder 

 in his hands and press it between the palms, and examine 

 it generally as to its condition, noting whether smooth of 

 tissue, or if lumps or knots occur. Again, examination may 

 show imperfect quarters or defective teats. 



The milk veins are located along on the belly from the 

 udder forward. Usually there is 

 one vein on each side, and some- 

 times a shorter one between. 

 Through these veins the blood 

 passes from the udder to the 

 heart. A side view of the cow 

 shows something of the vein 

 on that side. On young cows 

 it is smaller and less prominent 

 than on old ones. It varies in 

 size, length, and form. To 

 examine it carefully, it is neces- 

 sary to bend over enough to 

 look up beneath the body and 

 see the whole milk-vein system. Usually the vein is about 

 five eighths of an inch wide, and, after extending along 

 the belly half way or so from udder to fore legs, dis- 

 appears through a hole in the belly wall, known as the "milk 

 well." Sometimes the veins are very large and long, and 

 have a more or less tortuous, or serpentine, course. The 

 larger and longer the veins, the greater the cow as a milker. 

 Sometimes we find the belly immediately in front of the 

 udder covered with small veins, and occasionally they also 

 occur on the udder. All these small veins are indications 

 that the cow is more than an average milk-producer. 



Figure 125. Judging dairy cat- 

 tle. A common type of poor 

 udder, especially defective in 

 front. Photograph by the 

 author. 



