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BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



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 



necessary 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 



Fig. 118. The milk well at end of 

 vein. Photograph by the author. 



wide, and after extending along 

 the belly half way or so from 

 udder to fore legs, disappears 

 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. The milk wells vary 

 in size, from those so small that they ane not at once dis- 

 covered, to those so large that the end of the finger can easily 

 be placed therein. We really know nothing about the value 

 of the veins or wells, from a scientific point of view, as indi- 



