BREED CHARACTERISTICS 297 



milk solids. In all these various functions, the animal 

 that is to represent any one of them must show not only 

 large capacity in the line of that function, but also the 

 ability to endure long and well the strain of such function, 

 and keep in good health. Constitution is best indicated by a 

 full development at the navel, and strong abdominal walls, 

 showing that the animal when in a prenatal state was 

 abundantly nourished by the mother through a well- 

 developed umbilical cord. 



Prepotency. — In the scale for bulls, for the first time, we 

 believe, in the history of dairy breeds, this point is intro- 

 duced. The reason we have included it is that " prepotency" 

 is the chief consideration in the selection of all male breeding 

 animals. The pedigree and conformation is often all that 

 can be desired, but because the bull is lacking in prepotent 

 breeding power he is an expensive failure. This quality 

 is in a sense difficult to perceive or describe, but we know 

 certain animals have it in high degree and others fail of it 

 completely. It is fairly well indicated by vigor of appear- 

 ance, strong resolute bearing, and abundant nervous energy. 

 We would distinguish this from an ugly disposition. A 

 bull is ugly by the way he is handled rather than by his 

 breeding. What we want is strong, impressive blood. A 

 dull, sluggish spirit and action we consider indicative of a 

 lack of true dairy prepotency, but we would prefer to breed 

 to a rather sluggish-appearing bull with first-class rudimen- 

 taries than to a stylish one with badly placed rudimentaries. 



Rudimentary Teats. — We consider that a well-balanced 

 and well-shaped udder in the cow is largely due to the way 

 the rudimentary teats are placed on the sire. If they are 

 crowded close together the result is likely to be narrow, 

 pointed udders. If they are placed well apart, of good size, 

 and well forward of the scrotum, the effect, we think, will 

 be to influence largely the production of well-shaped udders 

 in the resulting heifers and counteract the tendency to ill- 

 shaped udders inheritable from dams deficient in this respect. 

 We believe the future excellence of the Guernsey cow will 

 be greatly aided by close attention on the part of her breeders 

 to this point. 



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