Use of Score Cards 43 



of course, essential that the cow, in order to be a 

 profitable milk producer, must have a large, capacious 

 udder, full of secreting follicles, and, as the udder is 

 an external organ, its size and capacity are quite 

 readily and easily determined by examination. Capa- 

 cious digestive and respiratory organs are also im- 

 portant, as indicating activity of the vital functions 

 of the animal, and strong, vigorous constitutional 

 powers. So useful are these external characters 

 known to be as indicating capacity for secretion that 

 dairymen find it worth while to train themselves in 

 recognizing these indications and comparing cows one 

 with another with respect to their external indica- 

 tions for capacity for milk secretion, and a large 

 amount of instruction in schools and colleges is given 

 along these lines. Training in these matters is facili- 

 tated by the use of score cards or scales of points, 

 which enumerate and describe the general external 

 characteristics of the cow, and assign numerical 

 values to the different characters in proportion to 

 their assumed relative importance. Most breeders 7 

 associations, and very many colleges, have formulated 

 and used such scales of points. They naturally vary 

 more or less, according to the ideas of the persons 

 who formulate them. A sample card is shown on the 

 next page. The chief value of a score card is to 

 teach the novice to make a careful examination of 

 every part. His final judgment, however, should be 

 based on the individual as a whole, and this is best 

 trained by practice in comparing individuals side 

 bv side. 



