190 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



a record of the quantity of milk, the percentage of fat, and the 

 approximate food consumed, the value of a cow for dairy pur- 

 poses may be determined very accurately. If in addition to her 

 own record, we have a record of the perforniance of both her 

 dam and her sire's daughters, we can speculate with some 

 degree of certainty her prospective production, as well as that 

 of her daughters and her sons' get. Such records, however, 

 are seldom available, and in their absence we estimate the pro- 

 duction by those signs that most certainly indicate it. While 

 these signs are not always true indications of high production, 

 yet in the absence of more accurate information they are the 

 best we can do. 



As in the choosing of a horse, it is essential that we examine 

 the animal in systematic order, otherwise some very valuable 

 character may go unobserved. Perhaps the most convenient 

 and simplest method is to note the general appearance of the 

 animal first, that is, the form or shape, weight, quality, and 

 constitution, and if these are satisfactory, then make a more 

 detailed examination, studying each character in relation to 

 milk production. 



General characteristics in dairy cows 



By carefully observing the general appearance of the dairy 

 cow, one can gain a fair knowledge of her desirabihty. Very 

 often the general features are not given much consideration 

 and we pass to a detailed examination, with the result that 

 many very important characteristics go unconsidered. Some 

 persons have such an accurate " eye " for appearances that 

 they are able to judge a cow very surely by a general look; 

 but for most people this method is unsafe. 



Form. — The general form should be considered from two 

 points of view: First, with respect to angularity; second, 

 freedom from beefiness. It will aid us to gain a clearer under- 



