The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-03-28
M'Mht 1atnt.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD COW.

the first important step is to know how
to choose good COW These are a
few general rules: see that the COW is
as much wedge-shaped as may be !;
that is, viewing her from the side view,
that she increases in height and depth
the further you go from the head and
from front view, that from Il small
head and narrow neck and shoulders
she gradually and regularly enlarges to
broad hip and back. 2nd See that
her mirror or "escutcheon y is good
and free from depreciating marks. 3rd.
See that her milk veins are large and
prominent, and where it enters the
stomach that the hole, or better if two,
are large and deep; that the udder is
full in the forward part, and that the
teats are of good size, we'll separated,
and not too projecting towards the
sides.
A general examination should show
the head small, slender and lengthy from
the eye to the nose; the horns thin and
open, not cramped or too curly; the
eye full, but not too prominent, the
latter quality indicating an excitability
and consequent restlessness of DISPOSE
ton that is not favorable to the pro-
duction of milk :; the ear lengthy and
broad, and well fringed with hair,
which protects it from the annoyance
of flies and indicates strong constltu-
ton; broad muzze should be avoid
ed, as showing tendency to fat ; the
neck should be long, fiat and narrow,
with tendency to rise at the withers
and breadth behind the arm to allow of
full expansion of the lungs, the chest
being rather deep than broad; the fiat
sided COW is more especially to be
chosen as mixer; the hips should be
wide, rugged and high, and the pelvis
or launches wide and large, dropping
towards the tail the thigh long and
lean from hip to rock, the veins being
prominent and easily felt the legs
slender with fiat bone, and small fiat
feet, the hinder ones having good width
between, to afford room for the udder
A long and thin tail is great point in
breeding
The udder, to which all former points
are secondary, the reservoir Of the milk
should be free from hair, flexible and
soft, with no tendency to flesh; the bag
extending well forward, as level as pos
sible with the belly, and high up be-
tween 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 their case
two holes will be discovered by feeling
under the belly nearly in line with the
navel, on each side, in good milking
heifers, of about the size of dime
As age increases the holes extend, and
the veins large and easily perceived by
the eye; the larger these feeding veins
appear, the greater is the quantity Of
the milk. The teats should be well
separated not fat or heshy, and not toe
long, but sufficiently tight to retain the
milk, having a tendency downward
that is, to use the technical term, not
strutting," or pointing away from the
quarters, as this causes waste in milk
and difficulty in milking. The hide also
will be found useful in determining the
fitness of particular cows for particular
localities, but having little to do with
the milking properties. If possible, it
is better to accustom cow to cold and
exposure by degrees, in which case the
hide will adapt itself to the altered
condition by thickening and producing
more hair
A good COW not only yields much
good milk, but almost in proportion to
the quantity given daily is there long
continuance of the secretion between
the periods of calving. But no cow
should be allowed to give milk beyond
eight months, before calving the sys
TEN requires at least one months rest
the calf will be larger and healthier,
and the mother will yield better and
richer milk after calving
The fact that the system is more
capable of undergoing natural, though
very marked, changes in early life with,
out danger, renders young animal in
dispensable for the dairy, either to
breed from or to prove profitable to the
keeper. To determine the age of a
"" 10 q uIdttSl vi IllipOi
and this can be done with great preci
sion by examining the teeth and horns
To determine the milking qualities o.
COW many important points have to
be considered In addition to those
we have mentioned the skin should be
free, thin, and may be covered with
hair of any color, according to the
breed. The tail is by some much look
ed to, and it is believed that when fine
and reaching down to the hooks, with
fine tuft of hair, it is associated with
other good milking points. In addition
to large milk veins the network Of
veins seen beneath the skin over the
forequarters of the udder, and the udde1
ITSELF and those which pass upwards
behind towards the tail, in fact, over
the perineum are large, they are sure
tests Of competent mixer They
should he highly developed, large and
varicose they are irregular, in zigzag
lines, knotted, and more or less oblique
To estimate them it is necessary to
take into account the state Of the COW
in respect Of flesh the thickness of the
skin, food, general activity, fatigue.
journeys, heat 1t is necessary, also,
to recollect that in both sexes all the
veins are larger in the old than in the
young; that the veins which encircle
the udder are those which, if the cows
are in milk. vary most according to the
dii1eredt periods Of life: though scarce
Nv aDDarent in Youth they are of con-
siderable size when, after several calv-
ings, the operation Of calving has given
the gland its full development.