168 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



cord, and as a large nerve branches off at the last dorsal vertebrae and 

 goes to the udder to control operations there, a large spinal column is 

 accepted as evidence of proper development of the nervous system, 

 which, in turn, is supposed to signify increased efficiency on the part 

 of the cow as a milk machine. Whether the size of the brain, spinal 

 cord, and branching nerves, rather than their quality and texture, 

 determines the efficiency of the nervous system may be questioned, 

 and as for the course of reasoning showing the relation between length 

 of tail and quantity of milk yield, the reader may take it for what he 

 deems it worth and form his own conclusions. In any event, there 

 are many other ways of estimating a cow's value, the reliability of 

 which are better substantiated. However, a prominent backbone is 

 valuable as an evidence of true dairy temperament, or freedom from 

 beefiness. 



The loin should be rather long, should carry up level and strong, 

 and show a fair degree of width. 



The barrel ought to be very deep and wide, and this is secured 

 when the ribs are very long and reasonably well arched. There will 

 be no such degree of rotundity as is found in beef cattle; there should 

 be a well-developed paunch with capacity for a large amount of feed. 

 A flat-sided conformation means a restricted capacity. The ribs do 

 not lie close together along the side as in beef cattle, and there is more 

 space between the last rib and the hip. 



Of all the points discussed thus far, two are of vast importance; 

 these are constitution and digestive capacity. The dairy cow is a 

 milk machine and should be studied and operated as such. It is thus 

 much easier, when judging, to put emphasis where it belongs and so 

 arrive more quickly at the true worth of the animal. Milk is manu- 

 factured in the udder from nutriment derived from the feed, and if 

 the cow has the true dairy temperament and does not tend to take 

 on flesh, the quantity of her milk yield will be in direct relation to the 

 quantity and quality of the feed consumed. A large milk flow there- 

 fore necessitates full development of the organs of digestion, respira- 

 tion, and circulation, the external evidences of which are a large heart- 

 girth, a large barrel-girth, and a rather lengthy middle. 



The hips are very prominent, and should be as wide as possible. 

 Narrowness across the hips is often associated with a lack of width in 

 barrel, and when the hips and rump are narrow, the hind legs are usually 

 too close together, leaving little space for the udder. 



The rump should be wide and level to insure against difficulty in 

 calving, and should not rise strongly at the tail-head, as that conforma- 

 tion usually goes with the sway-back. A level rump is usually asso- 

 ciated with a level udder. Length of rump is also very desirable; it 



