DAIRY TYPE OF CATTLE 319 



connecting the brain with the entire nervous system. A large 

 backbone may indicate a large spinal cord and strong nervous 

 temperament, a characteristic of the dairy type. Further, there 

 should be a strong, level, broad loin and also fair width of back 

 throughout, although not equal to that of the beef type. 



The ribs should be sufficiently long and arched to provide a 

 capacious body, a feature most important with animals of this class. 

 Flat and short ribs go with poor feeders and defective constitu- 

 tions. The body of the dairy type being moderately long or rangy, 

 the ribs do not appear quite so close together, perhaps, as with 

 the beef type, neither is the coupling between the last rib and 

 point of hip as close as with other cattle. 



The hips tend to be somewhat prominent with both males and 

 females. The hip points of the male should be neat and moder- 

 ately close, not wide, while those of the female may be more 

 widespread and prominent. This allows plenty of room for the 

 breeding organs of the female. 



The ;-;/;;// of the dairy type calls for ample length, breadth, 

 and levelness. This offers more room for the reproductive oper- 

 ation, the peaked, droopy rump frequently causing trouble in 

 calving, due to lack of room for the easy exit of the calf. The 

 backbone should be prominent along the middle of the rump, in 

 keeping with the rest of the back. On account of its prominence 

 the backbone from the hips to the tail head over the pelvis shows 

 a rise which is often termed the " pelvic arch." A fat rump 

 is objectionable, a feature found usually in inferior milkers and 

 animals of the beefy type. 



The thighs of dairy cattle should be muscular rather than fat. 

 A heavy, thick type of hind quarter is not desirable. The thigh 

 should be long, should have a rather thin back edge, and should 

 curve on the inside so as to permit ample room between the 

 hind legs. A thick thigh and deep twist is unfavorable to large 

 udder development. 



The hocks, to secure the necessary room for the udder, must 

 be muscular, clean, and thin, and should point directly back, 

 with ample space between. 



The legs from hock down should stand square, as viewed 



from side or rear, the toes pointing directly forward or nearly so. 

 Digitized by Microsoft® 



