stnimal Friends and Helpers [ 157 



these groups: The milch cow's body is oval and the outline of 

 her body sags in front of the hips, whereas the meat animal tends 

 more to a square-shaped body and its back is straight from neck 

 to tail. 



How MILK is PRODUCED 



Most city children do not get to see cows very often, so it 

 is not surprising that they develop some strange notions about 

 how cows give milk. For one thing, the supply of milk seems as 

 constant as water flowing from a tap. Another misconception has 

 turned up since the homogenizing process became widespread; 

 many children believe that milk is originally produced in that 

 state. And I am probably not the only one who has heard a small 

 child wondering what kind of cows give chocolate milk! 



Despite the way in which man has disrupted the animal's natural 

 processes, a cow still produces milk as nourishment for her own 

 offspring. Her supply of milk is of course most abundant soon 

 after a calf is born. Under normal conditions she would go dry 

 as soon as the young one could turn to other feeds, but a domestic 

 cow that is milked continuously may give milk for almost a year. 

 The quantity decreases, however, after six to eight months, and 

 the cow must be bred again to renew the milk supply. A wise dairy- 

 man does not expect cows to produce constantly, and gives them 

 a rest of at least six weeks every year. 



How Cows EAT 



If your child watches a horse and cow grazing, he may ob- 

 serve as he looks on that the horse is pulling his head in whereas 

 the cow is pushing her head forward. These distinctive eating 

 habits are no accident; they are determined by each animal's 

 mouth and teeth formations. 



A cow has eight front teeth on her lower jaw, with only a horny 

 pad above them. While grazing, she runs her tongue out, seizes 

 a clump of grass, and closes her upper lip tightly over it. A for- 

 ward thrust of her head then causes the teeth below to cut or 

 tear the grass from its roots. Thus she always eats "away from 

 herself." 



The horse cannot gather grass with his tongue, but he can use 



