52 THE COW IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 



A cow to be a good producer must be a worker. 

 She cannot be a loafer. We have termed this 

 nervous temperament, and we mean by that a 

 highly developed nervous system that produces 

 constant activity of the animal. A cow that is 

 chewing her cud when she is not eating and one 

 that is always ready for her meals and that al- 

 ways takes note of her surroundings. This is in- 

 dicated by a large wide forehead that slopes to 

 the poll and width between the eyes, also by 

 prominent hips and ribs and a lean open jointed 

 backbone that is free from fat. 



The udder of the high producing cows is usual- 

 ly a network of veins and blood vessels and the 

 milk veins passing along the abdomen are large 

 and torturous. The milk wells are larger and 

 more numerous than in the light producer. The 

 blood that flows through the udder determines 

 the milk flow and' the udder that is attached high 

 on the back and far forward along the abdomen 

 has greater surface that is supplied with these 

 vessels and the flow of milk is correspondingly 

 heavy. The thighs should be free from fat and 

 form an arch, the widest part of which should 

 be on the level with the attachment of the udder, 

 which gives it plenty of space. 



While it is always desirable to combine with 

 the facts already given, symmetry of form and 

 beauty, this is not always possible and besides it 

 is no indication of greatness of production as 

 many of the best cows we have ever seen are 

 more or less deficient in these two characteristics. 



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