30 



is evidence of suffering. If, however, milk is drawn, it will be 

 found necessary to continue drawing milk off at regular intervals, 

 until the calf is dropped. 



JUDGING THE DAIRY COW. 



The cow of ancient days produced sufficient milk to feed her 

 offspring. The cow of modern times does more or does less accord- 

 ing as man has elected. In some breeds many individuals are found 

 quite incapable of supplying their young with nourishment. In 

 other breeds or even in all breeds individuals are fotumd capable of 

 supplying sufficient milk to feed three or four young. The long 

 continued selection of such animals for breeding purposes has given 

 us our valuable, special-purpose dairy breeds. 



Many peculiarities of the heavy milking cow in any breed are 

 more or less common to all good milking cows of all breeds. By the 

 commonly used phrase 'good dairy f orm ' is meant that peculiar 

 conformation or shape of the animal indicative of the ability to 

 produce milk in large quantities. 



The power to produce much milk must natufrally be associated 

 with the capacity for consuming and properly digesting large quanti- 

 ties of food, since from the food comes the blood and from the blood 

 the milk. It is safe, therefore, to demand always every indication 

 of good digestive powers in the cow, The chief external signs of 

 good digestion in the cow are a large abdomen, deep, broad or long, 

 but preferably deep and broad and long; a mellow skin, affected of 

 course more or less by length of time in milk; a large, strong mouth 

 and jaw; a bright eye; and a strong constitution, that is, lots of 

 room for the vital organs, the lungs and heart. 



Of equal or greater importance than digestive power are milk 

 producing indications. First must come a large udder, but at the 

 same time one that milks out ' small and soft.' It should be broad 

 and extend far along the belly and well up behind, being visible 

 behind the thighs. It should be well attached to the body and cover 

 a large part of the cow, the more it covers the better. It should have 

 four good-sized, well-placed teats capable of yielding a large stream 

 of milk from a fair pressure. (Small, strong-muscled teats are a 

 vexation and a nuisance). The veins should be visible upon the 

 au'rface of the udder and should be large and full and winding. The 

 so called ' milk veins ' leading forward from the udder, should, 

 depending upon the age of the cow, be large, full, tortuous, and long. 

 They should lead to good large ' milk wells ' or openings in the 



