452 Selectiox and Milking of Dairy Cattle, [nov., 



" wells," where the blood-vessels enter the belly, highly developed. 

 Milk veins are blood-vessels carrying away impure blood from 

 the udder back to the heart and lungs for purification ; as milk 

 is derived directly from the blood, it follows that the greater the 

 supply of blood passing through the udder the greater the 

 possibilities of the production of a large quantity of milk. 

 The " escutcheon " or " milk mirror " should be wide at the 

 thighs, and if of the "flandrin" order, run in a broad band up to 

 the vulva. The back of the udder, just above the teats, should 

 show two " ovals " of down-growing hair, the skin being fine and 

 elastic and having a mellow touch. 



5. Points indicating Quality and Colour of Mtlk. — "Touch," 

 which is best judged by taking hold of a portion of the skin and 

 flesh behind the last rib when the cow's head is turned slightly 

 towards you, should be mellow, the skin loose and rather thin, 

 and of a slightly oily nature, and the hair soft and velvety. 

 Ears which are fine, well fringed with hair, and of a deep yellow 

 colour inside, are usually certain indications of good quality 

 and colour of milk and of butter. Horns should be yellow at 

 the base and show no coarseness, the shape of the head to 

 incline rather to the Jersey than to the Ayrshire type. Points 

 indicating quality and colour of milk are much more apparent 

 in Channel Island cattle than in other breeds. Constitution — a 

 ■deep chest gives plenty of room for lung development, whilst 

 wide and open nostrils commonly show good lung capacity. 

 The ribs immediately behind the shoulder, if round and deep, 

 make a big heart girth, whilst other ribs wide apart give the cow 

 the appearance of strength and solidity. Generally speaking, 

 a good cow possesses a loosely-knit frame. 



Value of the Score Card. — Numbers may be affixed to all the 

 points above-mentioned for the benefit of students who may 

 wish to score animals coming under their observation. It is 

 an excellent means of drawing attention to the good and bad 

 qualities of an animal to have to fill up a score card, especially 

 if someone well versed in a knowledge of live stock is at hand 

 to make at the same time a separate score of the animal and 

 compare results, and aid by giving his criticism. It is ^ 

 method of teaching the points of live stock that has long been 

 in vogue in Canada and the States, and it is now being adopted 

 at some of the agricultural colleges in this country. 



