Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-24
How TO Choose a Cow.

From an excellent little manual on
The Attorney and Guernesy Cow its
Nature and Management" By Mr.. Ed.
ward Parsons Fowler, the importer of
the Guernsey stock which have recently
arrived in Mobile, we copy the follow
ing instructions on the topic named
above:
The head should be small, slender and
lengthy from the eye to the nose, the
horns thin and Open-not cramped, or,
as 1t is frequently expressed, too curly.
The eve full, but not too prominent, the
latter quality indicating an exoitability
and consequent restlessness of DISPOSE
ton that is not favorable to the produc-
ton Of milk. The ear lengthy and
broad, and well fringed with hair, which
protects it from the annoyance of flies,
and indicates a strong constitution. a
broad muzzle should be avoided as show
ing a tendency to fat. The neck should
be long. fat and narrow, with a tendency
to rise at the withers, and breadth behind
the arm TO allow of a full expansion Of
the lungs, the chest being rather deep
than broad. The fat-sided COW is more
especially to be chosen as a milker-the
hips should be wide, rugged and high,
and the pelvis Cor haunches) wide and
large, dropping towards the tail. The
thigh long and lean from hip to hock-
the veins being prominent and easily
felt. The legs slender, with fat bone
and small fat feet-the hinder ones hav-
ing good width between, to afford room
for the udder. A long and thin tail is a
great point in breeding.
I now come to the udder, to which all
former remarks are secondary. This
part, the reservoir of the milk, should
be ire. from hair, flexible and soft, with
no tendency to flesh; the bag extending
well forward, as level as possible with
the belly, and high up between the
thighs. The feeding veins should be
particularly observed. In the heifer
with the first calf they must be felt for
with the hand in this case two holes
will be discovered By feeling under the
belly nearly in a line with the navel, on
each side, in good milking heifers, Of
about the size Of a sixpenee. As age
increases the holes extend, and the veins
become large and easily perceived by the
eye-the larger these feeding veins ap-
pear, the greater is the qusntity of milk.
The teats should be well separated, not
fat or feshy, and not too long, hut suf-
f~ciently tight to retain the milk, having
a tendency dOwnwards, that is, to use the
technical term, not strUtting or pointing
away from the quarters, as this causes
waste Of milk and difficulty in milking.
These particulars combine oil that, in
ordinary use, require to be attended to
in the selection Of a seryiceable COW.
There are, however, some few remarks to
be made on the hides, which will be found
useful in determining the fitness of par
ticular COWS for particular localities,
having little to do with the milking
properties. If possible, it is better to
aecustom a COW 10 cold and exposure by
degrees in which case the hide will adapt
itself to the altered condition By thick
ening and producing more hair, but
when this gradual adoption of the ami
NAL to a new aud more severe climate is
impracticable, choice should be made,
not of one possessing that great d~elicacy
of skin and covering which is so much
coveted. but of one having coarser and
curly hair, and thicker hide which
is indicative Of a customary exposure,
when the other points will show good
milking properties.