A COW'S CONFORMATION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 253, 28 November 1914, Page 2

A COW'S CONFORMATION.

Al*l> MTLKmG QUALITIES.

The question of the relation, if any, between the conformation and milk yield of a cow has lately aroused a good deal of discussion, and in Holjland in particular jnuch attention has been given to the problem. Herr J. Beimers, an agricultural teacher at Waeeningen, investigated cattle m the Friesian Herd Book, arid had reference to 300' animals from two and a-quarter to three years old. _,. His conclusions were as follow:—1 he milk yield increases slightly with increasing length of bbdy until the latter reaches a certain point, after which there appears to be a slight decrease in the yield. Abnormal length of body apparently has the effect of lowering the milk secretion. The milk yield increases with increasing height of crupper: but the increase can by no means be called regular, and a strong connection between the two factors could not be established. Animals with small or with very deep breasts appear to give a smaller yield than animals which are normal in this respect, but the difference was too slight to make the deduction of practical value. , . - There is no regular relationship between milk yield and length of hindquarters, or width between haunches', or breadth of pelvis. Animals with normal breadth of pelvis give more milk than those with larger or smaller breadth of pelvis, but the difference is not important. The system followed by herd book inspectors in awarding points for conformation was also taken as a basis of comparison. No more success was met with m this direction, except, of course, in the case of points for udder, teats, milk veins, and similaT indications of good milk yield. In the Friesian Herd Book as many as .12 points are awarded for shape of hindquarters, but no relation between this and the milk yield could be traced. Further, the best, milkers had the worst thighs (although there was no* regular connection between this and the yield).