PARTS OF THE DAIRY COW 183 



escutcheons are far from ideal. There are also poor milk- 

 ers that bear good escutcheons, so its importance is ques- 

 tioned. It is weU to make a careful examination, and 

 to become familiar with escutcheons, since considerable 

 emphasis is placed upon them by many breed associations. 



The udder is the most important part of the dairy cow, 

 and should be given careful examination. It is here that the 

 secretion of milk takes place. If an animal has a poorly 

 shaped udder, or one that is fleshy, diseased, or defective 

 in any one of its quarters, her chances of being a good milk 

 cow are poor. The udder should be broad, and the quarters 

 symmetrical and evenly placed. A long pendulous udder 

 or a fleshy one is very undesirable. One that is carried well 

 forward and well held up between the thighs is ideal and 

 most desirable. Oftentimes the cow with the large udder 

 is not the cow that returns the most milk. The cow with 

 the small udder of good quality is better equipped than the 

 cow with the large fleshy udder. On the other hand heavy- 

 producing cows have large, well-developed udders. Milk is 

 secreted by the glands of the udder largely at milking time. 

 The udder is not a huge cistern to carry milk that is being 

 constantly secreted, as is often supposed, but is the gland 

 which secretes the fluid. 



The teats of the cow are very important. Their size and 

 placing have much to do with the ease of milking. Teats 

 should be evenly placed at the four quarters of the udder, 

 and should hang plumb. Teats that are too large are un- 

 gainly, and small teats are hard to milk. The milk should 

 be easily drawn from the teats. 



The Mammary or Milk Veins are the large blood vessels 

 on the cow's belly that extend from the udder forward and 

 enter the body cavity near the fore legs. It should be 



