CHAPTER VII 



THE DAIRY COW AND THE DAIRY SIRE 



YEARS of breeding and of development in oppo- 

 site directions have made the beef and dairy type 

 almost distinct species. Among skilled stock raisers 

 one-half the individual characteristics of an animal 

 are attributed to heredity, the other half to environ- 

 ment. This latter part is the result of feed and sur- 

 roundings, for which the owner is responsible. 



The beef animal is possessed of a strong, vigor- 

 ous external circulation developed to convert the 

 elements of food into flesh, and place this on the 

 ribs, etc. The milk and butter cow has a strong, 

 vigorous internal circulation fitted to convert food 

 elements into butter fat, casein, etc., and deposit 

 these in the udder. The milk veins are the external 

 evidence, and to a great extent a measure of the 

 capacity of this internal circulatory power. In the 

 beef breeds this feature is deficient. To be other* 

 wise would condemn a cow of the beef breed as a 

 producer of good beef stock. 



THE DAIRY COW 



The milk veins of a dairy cow are well developed. 

 There is often a difference among breeds and be- 

 tween individual cows of equal capacity, but in a 

 first-class dairy cow these veins are always well de- 

 veloped. They enter the body well forward in large 



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