VAN PELT'S COW DEMONSTRATION 



the animal and determines by the texture of the hide and 

 hair that which he cannot see with his eyes ; the strength, 

 power and efficiency of the digestive organs. He realizes that 

 the skin of the animal is a continuation of the inner and 

 vital organs, the condition of which is reflected through the 

 outer medium. That these indications are more practical 

 than theoretical any successful feeder will assert, for he has 

 noticed that the first indication that a cow is reaching the 

 limit of her feeding capacity is not when she 'begins leaving 

 feed in her manger or when her voidings assume an unnat- 

 ural condition but when the eye gets^ dull and the hair be- 

 gins standing out from the body and becomes harsh to the 

 touch. If these first warnings are not heeded, then it is that 

 the cow begins leaving her food, and soon the softness and 

 pliability have left her hide and it becomes tight, hard and 

 stiff. 



True it is that care and feeding have much to do with 

 the condition of the hide and hair, and likewise they have 

 much to do with affecting the digestive organs. The method 

 of care and feeding that adds tone to the vital organs makes 

 itself known to the touch of the judge. In other words, 

 those parts that can be seen and felt indicate the condition 

 of the invisible organs rather than vice versa. 



It is, of course, well to secure in one and the same ani- 

 mal both size and power of digestion, but, if the necessity 

 presents itself of sacrificing a portion of one or the other, 

 then digestive power should have preference. The large- 

 barreled cow of poor quality will consume a large amount 

 of food at one time, but because of her sluggishness she will 

 waste a portion of it ; but the cow active in digestive traits, 

 eating less at a time but oftener, will eat fully as much, if 

 not more, on the whole, only requiring longer to do so, and 

 she will make better use of it in keeping up the condition 

 of her own body and in yielding milk products. 



[33] 



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