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Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 12

The most marvellous test of dairy cattle ever made was when the world’s largest dairy herd, composed of 3000 JERSEYS at Falfurrias, Texas, was tested for tuberculosis, without a trace of disease being found Buy a pure-bred JERSEY bull. The Meadows Jersey Herd, Heriot, Otago.

more apparent and seemingly large. Bear in mind, too, that the abdominal milk veins which carry blood away from the udder develop with age, calf-bearing, and milkgiving. A heifer, then, is not to be condemned if she has not a groat tortuous set of milk veins. They will come later if she has the right kind of udder and the natural capacity for milk production indicated by other signs already mentioned, together with wedge shape of the hindquarters, and tbin, long thighs and long, fine-boned tail. Very prominent milk veins are varicose veins, and it can be depended upon that they will not be there without sufficiently capacious ’’milk wells” or orifices of the abdominal wall for passage inwards of the veins. The big veins of the big wells are associated naturally and necessarily and de velop jointly. An undeveloped heifer that has small milk wells need not necessarily to condemned. Always prefer the cor. that has a laxgo udder well carried forward without hanging in four prominent pouches, and that is covered with one silky skin and characterised by four sufficiently large and long teats properly placed to balance the udder nicely. Extra largo teats and those that are close together arc objectionable, while the presence of several additional or supernumerary teals also is objectionable. The udder should ba of normal colour, and one quarter should correspond with its mate in shape, size, and colour. Beware of tho udder that is dark red, or has a purplish hue in part or whole, or that shows one quarter or more greatly enlarged. Re also much afraid of the udder that is hard as a stone and cold.” Rhat is a combination that generally spells tuberculosis, and so does the presence of a hard large mass hign up at the back of the udder. Rut. do not be satisfied with a visual examination of the udder. Sit down and handle every part of it carefully, for hardened masses mean that garget has been present, that milking abilities have been injured, that other attacks may lie expected, or that a quarter has been lost through disease. Strip away some miLs from each teat in turn. Look at tlie milk, smell it, taste it, and so make sure that it is normally rich in butter-fat, correct in consistency, and free from all evidences of disease. It would also be well to see the cow milked clean, if possible, and tne milk weighed, and to have a butter-fat test made. , . . ~ r Lastly a cow should not bo bought lor dairy use unless she has been tested wifcn tuberculin and found free from tuberculosis, and is also found by examination to be free from disease affecting the generative organs, such os contagious abortion. It would be wise to inquire if she has carried a, live calf the full time, and if not ascertain by what bull she has been served and the cause of the calf slipping. It must be borne in mind that a disease - free herd is often contaminated by a newcomer, and that tlie introduction of disease may be responsible for very heavy losses in the animals themselves, the loss of the calves, and a decreased milk yield. Extreme precaution in tne purchase of a new cow may possibly avert disaster.