198 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



is called " the escutcheon " or " milk mirror." It is asserted 

 that the larger the area covered by this up-growing hair, the 

 better producer the cow will be. Guenon, a Frenchman, held 

 that the shape of the escutcheon was indicative of the quantity 

 of milk and that the size was an index of the length of milk 

 flow. Another character which Guenon associated with large 

 production was the "thigh ovals." These are circular patches 

 of hair often found on the rear of the udder and just above 

 the hind teats. They are not present in all udders, but their 

 presence is considered to indicate large milk production. 



There are many more of these so-called milk signs which have 

 from time to time and by different men been considered to be 

 a true index to the value of a dairy cow as a milk producer. 

 While it is no doubt true that many large-producing milk cows 

 have possessed all of these signs, it is also true that many more 

 and higher producers have been lacking in them, one and all. 



CHOOSING BEEF CATTLE 



In beef production there are two classes of cattle to be 

 considered : the breeding animals and the fattening animals. 

 We are concerned here in the selection of cattle to fatten for 

 beef. The beef animal at various times in his life is designated 

 by three names : store animal, feeding animal, and fat animal. 

 Cattle are spoken of as store animals when merely being carried 

 along, as through the summer, or winter, and before feeding 

 begins; they are called feeding animals during the process of 

 fattening ; and fat animals after they are " finished " and 

 ready for market. 



For fattening purposes steers are preferred to heifers. All 

 things being equal, steers will feed out better than heifers. 

 This is due in part to the fact that steers are quieter in the feed 

 lot than are heifers. The females are often restless for three 

 or four days every three weeks on account of their periods of 

 heat. For this reason it is objectionable to have even a few 



