140 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



would run certain well-defined characteristics which dairymen 

 have come to know are associated with heavy production. These 

 characteristics may be causes of the heavy yield, or merely 

 incidental correlates, but in either case they are evidences of 

 productive capacity, and are valuable aids in judging dairy 

 cows. Many dairymen keep no records of the production in 

 their herds, and rely solely upon an examination of the individ- 

 uality when additional cows are purchased. There are other 

 men who ridicule the idea of judging a cow by any other means 

 than records of her performance; they will tell you of cows 

 which score high but are poor yielders, and of other cows which 

 score low but are big producers. However, such instances are 

 exceptional and should not dislodge one's faith in the value of 

 studying the individuality of dairy cows. No doubt it is wrong 

 to rely solely upon either method of judging, for the two methods 

 may be combined to the advantage of each, and in this way the 

 best estimate of the value of a dairy cow is made. 



The form of the high-class dairy cow is that of a triple- 

 wedge. One wedge is apparent from a side view; the cow is 

 much deeper behind than in front, so that if the top line and 

 underline were continued on forward they would meet at a point 

 not far in front of the animal. The secpncMvedge is formed 

 by a widening from breast to hindquartel-sVlso that the side lines 

 rapidly converge if they are carried out in front of the cow. 

 These two wedges are sometimes secured, in part at least, by a 

 lack of width and depth in the chest, whereas they should result 

 solely because of much width and depth of barrel, thus giving 

 the needed digestive capacity. Although the wedge form is 

 characteristic of the dairy cow, it is not valuable in itself, and 

 the mere fact that a cow has it is not sufficient. The examination 

 should go deeper; the wedges should be analyzed and their causes 

 determined. The third wedge is formed by the shoulders and 

 withers; the withers constitute the point of the wedge, and 

 the shoulders widen out below to provide the necessary chest 

 capacity. This wedge insures against coarseness at the withers 

 and heavy fleshing on the shoulders. The general form of the 

 cow is very angular throughout, due to a well-developed frame 

 and the presence of but little flesh to give smoothness to the 

 parts. Some allowance, however, must be made for sex and 

 age; we naturally expect more fleshing in the bull than in the 

 cow in milk, and the same is true of young heifers before their 

 first calving, and also of dry cows. Some dairymen make an 



