42O FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



dairy nerd in the order of tne relative milk yields obtained 

 from each. This inability is based on the fact that highest 

 type, as based on generally recognized interpretation, is not 

 always associated with highest milk yields. Second, with 

 some breeds, notably the Brown Swiss, large milking 

 capacity is associated with some indications of form, nota- 

 bly strong shoulders and heavy hams, that are usually 

 looked upon as being antagonistic to large milk production. 



Furthermore, some essentials of the recognized dairy 

 type in what may be termed the extremest form, are to 

 some extent antagonistic to the retention of the highest de- 

 gree of inherent stamina. These include thin, and long 

 necks, sharpness and steepness at the withers and down- 

 ward spring of rib, beyond a certain degree. Extreme in 

 degree, these point to and are associated with a vitality 

 not of the strongest and most vigorous type. Some regard 

 must be had then to the law of equilibrium in dairy form, 

 even though it should be necessary to sacrifice something 

 in milk yields in order to maintain it. 



The influence of inheritance on quantity in milk 

 production is very potent. As with all other forms of 

 transmission, such inheritance is not invariably uniform 

 and certain, but it is sufficiently so to enable the skillful 

 breeder to maintain high averages in milk yields, and 

 even to increase them. In up-grading, the increase from 

 such transmission is most marked. 



That there is a relation between large size up to a 

 certain limit and quantity in milk production cannot be 

 questioned. What may be regarded as phenomenal milk 

 yields have nearly all been made by cows of large size. 

 Such a result is in harmony with the known laws of physi- 

 ology, as, with increase in size, other things being equal, 

 there is increase in capacity to take the food from which 

 milk is made. The proportion of the food nutrients di- 

 verted for maintenance is also relatively less. The relation 

 between size, milk production and cost is discussed else- 

 where. (See p. 433.) 



