DAIRY TYPE OF CATTLE 245 



dairy type. Through the backbone the spinal cord passes, con- 

 necting with the brain and the entire nervous system. A large 

 backbone may indicate a large spinal cord and strong nervous 

 temperament, a characteristic of the dairy type. Further there 

 should be a strong, level, broad loin and also fair width of back 

 throughout, although not equal to that of the beef type. 



The ribs should be sufficiently long and arched to provide 

 a capacious body, a feature most important with animals of this 



FIG. 104. This Guernsey cow, Count Topsey, owned by J. H. Beirne, Oakfield, 

 Wisconsin, shows a remarkably high-class dairy type. As her hind quar- 

 ters are nearer the camera than the fore quarters, it shows the wedge form 

 in an abnormal degree. The udder from the side view appears nearly 

 perfect. Photograph from Mr. Beirne 



class. Flat and short ribs go with poor feeders and defective 

 constitutions. The body of the dairy type being moderately long 

 or rangy, the ribs do not lie quite so close together, perhaps, as 

 with the beef type, neither is the coupling between the last rib 

 and point of hip as close as with other cattle. 



The hips tend to be somewhat prominent with both males and 

 females. The hip points of the male should be neat and moder- 

 ately close, not wide, while those of the female may be more 



