FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Such cows seem to like to be milked, are fond of being caressed, 

 and often return caresses. The horns should be small, short, tapering, 

 yellowish, and glistening. The neck should be small, thin, and taper- 

 ing towards the head, but thickening when it approaches the shoulder; 

 the dewlap small. The -forequarters should be rather small when 

 compared with the hindquarters. The form of the barrel will be 

 large, and each rib should project further than the preceding one up 

 to the loins. She should be well formed across the hips, and long in 

 the rump. The spine or back should be straight and long, rather 

 loosely hung, or open along the middle part, the result of the distance 

 between the dorsal vertebrae, which sometimes causes a slight de- 

 pression, or sway back. 



By some good judges this mark is regarded as of great importance, 

 especially when the bones of the hindquarters are also rather ioosely 

 put together, leaving the rump of great width and length, and the 

 pelvis large, and the organs and milk vessels lodged in the cavities 

 largely developed. The skin over the rump should be loose and flex- 

 ible. This point is of great importance ; and as, wh<"i the cow is in 

 low condition or very poor, it will appear somewhat harder and closer 

 than it otherwise would, some practice and close oh^wrwafon are re- 

 quired to judge well by this mark. The skin, ind^ei, all over the 

 body, should be so-ft and mellow to the touch, with soft glossy hair. 

 The tail if thick at the setting on, should taper and bo fine below. 



But the udder is of special importance. It should be large in pro- 

 portion to the size of the animal, and the skin thin, with soft louse 

 folds extending well back, capable of great distension when filled, 

 but shrinking to a small compass when entirely empty. Jt must be 

 free from, lumps in every part, and provided with four teats set well 

 apart, and of medium size. 



Nor are the milk-veins less important to be carefully observed The 

 principal ones under the belly should be large and pvoai.nent, and 

 extend forward past the navel, loosing themselves, apparently, in the 

 very best milkers in a large cavity in the flesh, into wh'.ch the end of 

 the finger can be inserted ; but when the cow is not m full milk the 

 milk-veins, at other times very prominent, are not so distinctly traced 

 and hence, to judge of its size when, the cow is dry, or iinrly so, this 

 vein may be pressed near the e*id, or at its entrance into the body, 

 when it will immediately fill up to its full size. 



The milk vein does not carry the milk to the udder, as some suppose 

 but is the channel by which the blood returns ; and its contents con- 

 sists of the refuse of the secretion, or what has not been taken up 

 in forming milk. There are, also, veins in the udder, and the perineum, 

 or space above the udder, and between that and the buttocks which 

 it is of special importance to observe. These veins should be largely 

 developed, and irregular or knotted, especially those of Hie udder. 



The knotted veins of the perineum, extending from above down- 

 wards in a winding line, are not readily seen in young heifers, and 

 are very difficult to find in poor cows, or cows of only medium quality. 

 They are easily found in good milkers, and if not at first apparent they 

 are made so by pressing upon them at the base of the perineum, 

 when they swell up and send the blood back to the vulva. Their full 

 development almost always indicates an abundant secretion of milk ; 

 but they are far better developed after the cow has had two or three 

 calves which demonstrates the importance of careful handling. 



The climate of Avrshire, we are told, is moist and mild, and the 

 soil generally of limestone formation, varying from a rich to a clayey 

 nature, and well adapted to pasturage, but difficult in parts to till. 

 The cattle are naturally hardy and active, and capable of enduring 

 severe winters, and easily regaining condition with the return of spring 

 and good feed. There is, withal, a great humidity about the snores 



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