THE TYPES 207 



posterior or a fore and hind half. Therefore either half 

 may be subdivided into quarters. The most capacious 

 udder, size as fixed by attachments being equal, is the one 

 in which all four quarters are equally well developed, pro- 

 ducing a square and level shape. Finally, even though size 

 and shape of udder are both good, there is one more factor 

 that may still determine great variation in productiveness, 

 and that is texture. The udder, like any other gland of the 

 body, is composed of two kinds of tissue, the gland tissue 

 proper which does the actual secreting of the milk, and an 

 interstitial connective tissue of a fibrous nature which 

 serves as a framework for the gland. It is obvious that 

 the latter tissue has no part in the function of the udder, 

 although a certain amount is necessary for the construc- 

 tion of the gland. The udder that is most productive, 

 therefore, is the one that contains the most of the active 

 glandular tissue and only as much connective tissue as is 

 required to support the gland. The relative proportions 

 of these two kinds of tissue in the udder structure are 

 indicated by the feel of the gland ; if firm and beefy the 

 connective tissue is in excess, while if soft, elastic and glove- 

 like, being covered with a thin, pliable skin upon which is a 

 light growth of fine hair and the blood vessels are distinctly 

 marked, the udder is composed of the maximum amount of 

 gland tissue proper and is capable of maximum production. 

 Such an udder almost completely milks away, leaving only 

 a few soft folds where, previous to milking, the udder had 

 completely filled the space between the thighs. The former 

 kind, on the other hand, appears of about the same size and 

 shape after the milk has all been withdrawn. 



Udders may be so badly stretched by prolonging the 

 periods between milkings, or cows may be judged in such 

 varying stages of lactation that the udder alone cannot 



