244 



CATTLE 



The neck tends to be long and muscular. With the bulls it is 

 especially strong and heavily muscled, usually possessing a prom- 

 inent arch, while the neck of the cow is thin and long. The 

 lower part of the neck usually has more or less dewlap, this being 

 a thin edge of skin extending from the brisket upwards. A very 

 deep neck with much dewlap, fullness at the throat, or a short, 

 thick neck on dairy cattle are objectionable, showing lack of quality 

 and type. While the neck should have a neat attachment at head 

 and shoulders, it does not blend in so smoothly as with beef 

 cattle, owing to lack of flesh. 



The shoulders should incline at a good angle well into the 

 back, lying fairly close together and forming with the back line 

 rather refined, narrow, or sharp withers. With the males greater 

 breadth of withers is looked for. The shoulders are usually 

 somewhat prominent, but heaviness or meatiness is distinctly 

 objectionable. 



The breast of dairy cattle does not show so great width as the 

 beef type, and the brisket is narrower and sharper, and not carried 

 quite so far forward. 



The chest, like the breast, which is a part of it, does not show 

 great thickness, but ample depth and reasonable spring of rib is 

 desired. The crops, at the top of the chest behind the shoulders, 

 are usually somewhat deficient in dairy cattle. At this place the 

 ribs should have a fair arch from the back, showing ample chest 

 room below. The front flanks also should be well filled out, show- 

 ing a good constitution in the ample chest capacity. 



The front legs should be straight from side or front, coming 

 down without marked crookedness at knee or wide turning in or 

 out of toes. A common feature of dairy cattle of both sexes is 

 to have the knees come quite close together when in a natural 

 position, thus indicating a narrow chest and poor constitution. 



The back of the dairy type frequently shows some droop from 

 shoulder to hip line. Some persons regard a sway back as neces- 

 sarily associated with dairy type. A strong back, well sustained, 

 with but little depression, if at all, is much to be preferred. Argu- 

 ments have been advanced by some that a large backbone, with 

 the vertebrae somewhat separated, offers important evidence of 

 such a nervous temperament as should be associated with the 



