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TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



The milk-veins are large veins passing forward from the 

 udder along the belly just beneath the skin, and disappearing 

 through openings in the body- wall known as milk- wells. The 

 position of the milk- wells varies; some are near the fore flanks, 

 and some midway between the udder and the front legs. As 

 will be explained more fully later, nutriment derived from the 

 food is carried to the udder by the blood and is there utilized 

 in the manufacture of milk. After the udder has absorbed those 

 elements necessary in making milk, the blood returns to the 

 heart through the milk-veins. It is evident that the size and 



Fig. 44. An Inferior Dairy Cow. 



Note the staggy head, coarse neck, uneven top line, small barrel, coarse 

 sloping rump, beefy thighs, and small funnel-shaped udder. Her wedge 

 from the side view points the wrong way. 



development of these veins is a good index to the cow's milking 

 capacity, hence they are highly useful in judging dairy cows. 

 The milk-veins of young heifers are small in diameter and are 

 straight. As the heifer develops and her milk flow increases, 

 the veins show increase in diameter, sometimes to an inch or 

 more, they often become crooked or tortuous, and may extend 

 forward toward the fore flanks. The degree of tortuousness 

 varies according to the vein's diameter, small veins being nearly 



