CHOOSING A COW 191 



standing of the form among dairy cows if we will remember 

 that there is extra heavy demand made upon four systems. 

 These are the milk-secreting system, the digestive system, the 

 circulatory system, and the nervous system. It is because of 

 the extreme activity of these centers that the dairy cow is in- 

 clined towards a given form. The milk-secreting organs and 

 the digestive organs having an undue amount of work to do 

 tends towards extreme development, while the other parts, be- 

 cause of their inactivity, are inclined to be narrow. 



The typical form of a dairy cow is that of a triple wedge, as 

 already indicated. Viewed from either side she should show 

 greater depth of body behind than in front. The shoulder 

 should be lower than the hips and the floor of the chest higher 

 than the bottom of the udder. If a straight edge were laid 

 along the back and allowed to project forward, and a second 

 straight edge placed along the under line touching the bottom 

 of the udder, the abdomen, and the floor of the chest, and allowed 

 to project forward, it should meet the one from the back a short 

 distance in front of the animal. Viewed from the rear and top 

 the dairy cow should gradually widen from the chest to the hips. 

 Straight edges placed along either side and projecting forward 

 should meet a short distance in front of the animal. Viewed 

 from the front and top she gradually widens from the withers 

 backward and downward (Fig. 68). This illustrates the typical 

 dairy form and the one towards which most good milk cows tend, 

 though it does not follow that a cow, to be a good dairy animal, 

 must be of this type. Occasionally a good milker can be found 

 not of this form, but since most good milk cows tend towards 

 this shape, and in the absence of more accurate data, such as 

 the actual records, the choosing of animals possessing such 

 configuration is to be recommended. 



If the cow tends naturally to take on fat, she is worth just so 

 much less as a milk cow. The dairy cow should be spare. 

 There should be an absence of fleshiness throughout, partic- 



