JUDGING DAIRY CATTLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 46, 9 October 1911, Page 8

JUDGING DAIRY CATTLE.

ESCUTCHEON AND MILK VEINS

In a series of articles in the “Jersey Bulletin,” Professor Hugh G. van Pelt enters into a detailed discussion of uio many questions involved in the selection of dairy cattle. The professor, who, by the way, acted as judge of Jerseys at the American National Dairy Show in 1910, deals with his subject in a masterly manner, and in one instance has thrown considerable doubt, on the escutcheon as a moans of judging tiie merits of a dairy cow. Ho says The circulatory system as it pertains to the dairy type is indicated by the escutcheon, the mammary veins and milk-wells. There was a time when much stress was laid upon the size and character of the escutcheon, but at the present time loss consideration is given to this point, probably due to the fact that more consideration is now given the development of the mammary veins and milk-wells. The escutcheon indicates the amount of blood entering tho udder, much as do tho mammary veins that which is leaving. Tho escutcheon may bo defined as the portion extending upward from the udder over which the hair grows upward an on each side of which the hair grows in the opposite direction. It. is the theory, and likely tho truth, that the hair covering the escutcheon is nourished by the blood passing into the udder, while the hair on each side is ; nourished as is the hair on other parts of the body, and in this manner the volume of blood laden with nutrients that enter the udder is indicated.

All cows have two mammary* veins, on© on each side of the abdomen. Some cows have three, one termed the center extension vein, passing forward from the udder between the two outside veins. At the end of each of these veins is a milk-well, which is merely an opening in the abdomen through whfteh the blood passes back into the body on its way to the heart and lungs for purification and to be pumped back over its course again. Oftentimes the flow of blood is so great that it cannot all enter through these wells and nature provides more of the openings. Some cows have two of these wells on one side. Some have two of them on both sides, while others may have three or four or even live wells oil each side of the body. Veins fitted with two or more such milk-wells are termed double extension veins.

The greatness of the circulatory system is judged by the size, length, and tortuosity of the mammary veins and the size and number of milkwells. That there is no other method, by which the nutrients digested from the food can get into the udder where milk and butter-fat are manufactured illustrates the importance of a perfect circulatory system. The ability of the cow is indicated by the size, form, and character of, the udder and its accessories. To be desirable, the udder must be capacious and of the proper texture and quality. Capacity of udder development should be gained by length and breadth ' rather than by depth. A deep udder is a pendulent one and causes all sorts of trouble. In the winter and spring when the cow lies upon cold ground or cement a large portion of the udder comes in contact witli the cold surface and garget and other troubles follow. In the summer when she stands or walks through the mud she carries to the barn a great amount of dirt, and a large portion of it often finds its way into the milk.

Greater still is the disadvantage of the udder that gains its capacity in depth rather than in length and breadth, for such an bidder provides a very limited surface attachment, with the body, and comes in contact to a much lesser degree than the long, broad udder, with the largo arteries. which pass along the body, sending small arteries laden with blood carrying milk-malting nutrients down into the udder.

To gain the greatest length, the udder should attach ]ngli behind and extend far forward. The thighs of tho cow should be thin and out-curv-ing, insuring breadth of udder development. With an udder attachment far forward, well-developed front quarters are insured; and with a high attachment behind, symmetry of the halves and quarters of the udder arc more likely to result. This is a point that is essential, for in addition to size and capacity the different parts of the udder should ho uniform and well-balanced. There should be no large fissures between the quarters or between tho halves, and there should be every indication that each quarter of the udder produces as much milk as either of the others. The teats should be of medium size, easily milked and placed far apart, one on each corner.

Likewise, the texture or quality of the udder is all-important. ft is determined by the manner in which the udder milks out, and by the handling qualities of the other parts of the udder, especially the covering of hide and hair. If the udder is large before milking and gradually collapses during the milking process, and upon finishing, the udder cover lies in folds of soft, pliable, elastic, oily hide covered with short, soft, fine hair, the

texture is not to ho criticised. But the cow with nn udder that is hard, beefy, and quite as large after milking as before is faulty in this particular, and belongs to the class that is to he guarded against both in the dairy and in the showring.

There are many other points that, may ho considered as minor hut should ho given attention during the course of examination hy the judge. lint always, after the consideration of breed type, those five essential points, which are indicative of productive cows, should he given careful consideration.