224 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



assimilates well (requiring an excellent constitution), and ex- 

 pends additional force in elaborating the milk from the large 

 quantity of blood produced from the abundance of food con- 

 sumed. 



We can make a condensed summary statement in these 

 words : The cow eats largely, digests amply, milks abundantly. 

 Again we can state that ''the dairy cow represents a high type of 

 a great eater, with strong digestion and great milk production." 

 Nature will then in wisdom, provide strong jaws for eating, 

 great paunch for food, great udder for milk and what is of greater 

 importance still, a vigorous nerve organisation to drive digestive 

 capacity and milk secretion. With such a review of the forces 

 brought into action in this matter of dairy development, we will 

 now describe in detail the true type of dairy cow and note the 

 laws governing its growth. 



Vitality. 



This part should be very carefully guarded. 



Physicians state that the dread disease, consumption, fol- 

 lows in the track of the cow. 



Low vitality tends to poor and diseased blood and from it 

 we obtain the diseased milk of death. We do not attempt to ex- 

 amine as a medical expert, but not the following indications of 

 the strong constitution that we want. 



1 : Let the umbilical attachment be large. This is a good 

 indication that the mother of the cow nourished the foetus well. 



2 : Let there be a great depth through the heart and lung 

 region. This place is below the space marked 2 in the outline. 

 This should be well rounded out. As you stand before the cow 

 the forelegs will stand well apart. The reason for this ampli- 

 tude here is manifest. 



3 : Let the junction of spine and skull be broad. A strong 

 attachment here is evidence of a large vertebra, which is ever 

 present in the dairy family with a vigorous nerve development. 

 This animal will ever scale low in the bone and muscular system, 

 but must be strong in the nerve system. A strong nerve sys- 

 tem is very good evidence of good constitution. 



