JUDGING DAIRY CATTLE 85 



139. Hind Quarter — Lean, Elevated. As a whole, the 

 hind quarter in a deep milking cow is strikingly free from 

 fleshiness, and there is usually a slight raise in the quarter 

 from the loin to the attachment of the tail. Some think this 

 conformation indicates vigor, but a more reasonable view of 

 the merit of the point asserts that it is to some extent 

 unfavorable for the premature birth of calves. 



140. Hips — Sharp, Wide Apart. The hip bones should 

 be prominent, sharp and wide apart, giving plenty of room 

 to the generative organs. From the point of the hip to the 

 end of the tail there should be a marked hollow or shrink- 

 age, due to the absence of the fle.sh. a condition character- 

 istic of heavy performers when in full milk. 



141. Thigh — Thin, Incurving. The thigh, for the same 

 reason should be thin and retreating and possessed of length. 

 A thin thigh, decidedly in-curving is a noteworthy feature. 

 Attention has been drawn to the use of the tail as a plumb 

 line to determine the degree to which the thigh curves. 



142. Escutcheon. — High, Wide, Spreading. Viewing the 

 thighs and the region of the cow above the udder, it will be 

 observed that on this part the hair runs in the opposite 

 direction from that to which it inclines on the other parts of 

 the body. Where it does this, it is known as the escutcheon, 

 to which attention was first directed by Guenon. It is sup- 

 posed that the reason of this hair growing in the direction 

 mentioned is due to the artery which passes this part. The 

 artery suppl3'ing the udder with blood also nourishes the 

 skin on which the escutcheon grows. Many have the idea 

 that Guenon considered this the only point of value in 

 determining the worth of a cow. The fact is that he con- 

 sidered it only one of ten to be included in the merits of a 

 first-class dairy cow. There is some reason for considering 

 the escutcheon as it is undoubtedly to a degree an index of 

 the quautit}^ of blood received by the udder, for the same 

 reason that the milk veins are of value as they indicate the 



