THE DAIRY HERD 13 



Constitution. This is indicated by large, bright, clear 

 eyes ; large, open nostrils ; wide, deep chest ; strong navel 

 development; strong abdominal walls; absence of ex- 

 treme refinement; and a soft, pliable skin with plenty of 

 secretion : all of which indicates strength and vitality. 



A heavy milker is one of the hardest worked of all 

 animals, and unless possessed of a strong constitution, 

 she can never do her maximum work and an early break- 

 down may be expected. 



Milk Organs. These include a large, evenly quartered, 

 elastic udder, running well forward and well up behind; 

 large, tortuous milk veins running well forward and 

 branched ; numerous, large, capacious milk wells ; and 

 medium sized teats, squarely placed, and far apart. 



Large, fleshy udders are undesirable, as they possess a 

 relatively small milk elaborating capacity, and are more 

 subject to disorders than moderately large, elastic' udders. 



The milk veins, which carry the blood away from the 

 udder, are deserving of careful attention. When the ori- 

 fices (milk wells) through which they enter the body are 

 large, the size of the milk veins may be taken as a fair 

 indication of the amount of blood they carry. 



A large flow of blood away from the udder presup- 

 poses a large flow into it, and since milk is secreted from 

 the blood, the quantity which flows through the veins 

 must be some indication of milk producing capacity. 



Quality. This is indicated by a soft, oily, pliable skin, 

 of medium thickness ; short, soft silky hair ; yellow secre- 

 tion in the ears; fine textured bone; rather small and 

 refined ears and horns ; yellowish wax at the base of the 

 horns ; and a general absence of coarseness in any part. 



Pelvic Region. This should be large to afford room 

 for the calf, especially during its delivery. A good pelvic 



