284 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



no excuse for keeping cows that are low in production 

 after the dairy has been brought into regular working 

 order. During the first years of its establishment it is 

 possible, of course, that some animals may be brought 

 into it that prove disappointing, but these, when found 

 wanting, should not be retained any longer than it may 

 be absolutely necessary to keep them. Dairymen thus 

 situated may, and, as a rule, should breed their own 

 cows; hence, by the aid of elimination, they may, within 

 a reasonably short time limit, bring their herd up to a 

 high standard. 



The basis on which such elimination should rest is, 

 first of all, production. But there are other considera- 

 tions that should be weighed. These include robust- 

 ness of constitution, easy milking properties, qualities 

 that relate to disposition and also to transmission and 

 regular breeding. Production, of course, is best deter- 

 mined by the record kept of the same. (See page 200.) 

 All cows that come short of the standard fixed should, 

 of course, be disposed of. 



Cows may come up to the standard of production, 

 and yet they may be less robust than those that yield 

 equally well, as indicated in habitual leanness and in 

 other ways. A high standard of vigor is essential to 

 long-continued high performance in the dairy. 



Easy milking qualities relate to the size of the teat 

 and the ease with which the milk is withdrawn. The 

 difference in cows in this respect is very marked. When 

 the teats are so small that they cannot be grasped with 

 the hand in milking, they must, of course, be stripped 

 by grasping them between the thumb and forefinger, 

 which prolongs the milking. This peculiarity appertains 

 to some breeds, as, for instance, the Ayrshire, much more 

 than to others. Hard milking is the outcome of peculiar- 

 ities of formation in the milk duct and the milk glands. 

 The milking of cows thus characterized calls for the 

 expenditure of added force, which makes the milking 



