JUDGING THE DAIRY TYPE OP CATTLE 



309 



tremendous. ' ' The udder secreting a great amount of milk 

 has been assumed to have a strong passage of blood through 

 it, and the large veins have been supposed to be associated 

 with such a flow. This, perhaps, is not entirely true, and 

 the information secured by Professor Graves justifies us in 

 suspending judgment on this little-understood subject. The 

 veins of young animals, however, are smaller than those of 

 old ones, and are less conspicuous. Two veins are com- 

 monly seen along the belly, one on each side and one longer 

 than the other. Often a third and shorter vein occurs be- 

 tween these. In uncommon cases other veins branch off, 

 or a large number of small ones cover the intervening 

 space on the belly between the udder and navel, sometimes 

 causing a varicose effect. It is not unusual also to see 

 small veins on the outside of the udder, a condition seem- 

 ingly associated with heavy milking. The length and size 

 of the veins vary considerably. Ordinarily the longest vein 

 extends about half way the length of the belly, but in rare 

 cases may occupy the entire distance and disappear at the 



Fig. 175. — "The length and size of the veins vary considerably." 



