JUDGING THE DAIRY TYPE OF CATTLE 



305 



lacks more than it should in secreting tissue. Such an 

 udder does not secrete as freely as it should, and when 

 milked out its form may be but slightly changed. When 

 secreting tissue is very abundant, the udder is more mellow 

 and elastic, and 

 when the milk is 

 drawn, the gland 

 shrinks greatly, 

 sometimes appear- 

 ing as a thin, skin- 

 enclosed sac. 

 Fleshy udders yield 

 a much smaller flow 

 than elastic ones, 

 but usually test 

 higher in butter 

 fat. They are not, 

 as a rule, regarded 

 with favor. The 

 udder that, after 

 milking, "shrinks 

 away to nothing" 

 shows the best 

 quality and largest 

 production. ' R e - 

 moval of the milk 

 also leaves the 



gland in condition to inspect it for "knots" or small 

 tumors. It is not remarkable to feel lumps of this sort lo- 

 cated among the gland tissue, that will not be detected un- 

 less the empty udder is handled. The skin enclosing the 

 udder should be very elastic, and covered with short, fine, 

 silky hair. The elasticity of the skin and udder are dis- 

 tinct evidences of quality. The more elastic the skin, the 

 greater the expanding capacity of the milk-filled udder. 

 A judge is always justified in requiring the milking out of 

 an udder that is full, that he may give it thorough examin- 



Fig. 172. — "The skin enclosing the udder should 

 be very elastic." 



