CHAPTER VII 



Other Desirable Points 



Form 



General form of the dairy cow is a point that has re- 

 ceived much consideration and has been the topic of exten- 

 sive discussion. It has not been considered as one of the 

 really essential points in this book because it is doubtful if by 

 securing the accepted form of the present day authorities 

 the points that are really essential to great and economical 

 production will follow, or if by securing in the animal the 

 essential points for production the most desirable form will 

 result. Whichever is the case, the great improvement needed 

 on every farm in America is not only an increase in the yield 

 of the cow but also a decrease in the cost of production. 



By selecting and breeding cows that show marked indi- 

 cations of the five points discussed, great progress will re- 

 sult in these directions, and as a further result the dairy form 

 as called for in score cards and admired by breeders of dairy 

 cattle will be much more prevalent among the general rank 

 and file of herds that it is at the present. 



Beauty 



Attractiveness of appearance, though hardly as essen- 

 tial to great production, should never be lost sight of, for, 

 other things being equal, the handsome cow will command 

 the greatest respect when placed upon the market, and will 

 invariably sell for the highest price. If beauty were an in- 

 dication of small or costly production, then it might be well 

 to overlook its importance. Who, after seeing such cows as 

 those that stand at the head of each dairy breed today be- 

 cause of their great yearly records, will stake his reputation 

 for good judgment on the assertion that it is only the broken- 

 backed, drooping rumped, tilted-uddered, homely creatures 

 that yield well? 



On the other hand, it is safe to say that the breeder of 

 dairy cattle who will be most successful in the future will 

 be the one who, because of the perfection of form_ and con- 

 formation and beauty of contour of his animals, is able to 

 win laurels in the show yard, and with the same animals 



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