Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-12-26
Anatomy Of the Cows Bag.

Anatomy Of the Cows Bag.
An acquaintance with the way in which
the cows bag is made is valuable as an aid
TO understanding the mechanics of milking,
and also because it helps us to a compre
hension OF the nature of the diseases which
SO frequently attack that organ. 1t is rather
strange that so few dairymen understand
anything about this matter, since it is So
easy TO dissect an udder and SO easy to OBJ
tain one for the purpose Of any butcher.
We advise the young men of our dairy farms
to take no description of the subject on trust
but to verify with their pen-knives the facts
we give them in regard to it, As matter
OF fact the COW has a distinct "bag" for
each teat, and though they are all bound to
gether by the external envelope, or skin, tn,
outline of each is plainly defined, when dis
tended, by the grooves that divide the bag
into its four "quarters." And here let Ill
say that it should be main object, in tn,
breeding OF dairy cows, to obtain a SYM
metrical bag, one in which the quarters art
not only of large development, but also OF
equal size. A "square bag is the ideal OF
the Ayrshire breeders; and so far as this
looks to All equal development of the for
ward quarters, that is right. But the Ayr
shire men, at least some of them, insist upon
square bottom to the bag and as this seems
always to be accompanied with short teats,
we cannot but regard somewhat conicai
shape to each quarter, with its accompany
ing longer teat, as practically best.
The four quarters of the bag are each en-
tirely distinct and separate, so far as theii
internal structure is concerned. Beginning
with the large cavity OF the teat, and going
upwards i'll the dissection, we shall find this
cavity opening into number of others. AT
the external orifice OF the teat, and also at
the opening or point OF branching, of each
of the larger passages as we work upwards,
there is "a narrowing, or construction. These
constructions the COW has the power to close
at will, and thus retain the contents OF the
tubes or cavities aboye-the same power that
all animals have over the opening of the blad-
der. SO COW is able to " hold up her milk"
and she will always do this unless the parting
with it is made pleasant to her, and lust il.
proportion as it is made pleasant. Natur
ally, she only gives down her milk to feed
her calf. But the dairy COW is an artificial
creature, usually deprived of her calf at
birth, or soon alter, and bred to yield milk
largely and continuously. She therefore. so
to speak, has TO adopt calf, in the shape OF
the mixer TO relieve her of this abundant
secretion. But the dairy COW is not only al
artificial creature, she is also a nervous
creature aud ii her nervous system is ir
ritated, either by harshness or rough hand
ling, or by slow and bungling way OF
milking, she will not completely relax the
muscles which keep back the flow from the
upper parts of the bag. The result is that
the COW cannot be clearly MIXED, portion
remains, and this is not only the richest POI
ton OF the milk, but its remaining in the
bag is taken by nature as a notification that
so much milk is not wanted by the artificial
calf that left it, and the secretion is conse.
quently reduced. Thus the unskilful mixer
dries OIL the COW. He not only reduces tn,
yield OF the COW herself, but he helps to re-
turn her and all her future offspring to thai
state OF nature in which the COW yielded
just enough, and yielded it just long enough,
Tor the wants of her calf. The result is that
badly MIXED COW is not only spoiled, but
her heller calves are much ia iured for dairy
purposes. Continuous careless milking viii
spoil the productiveness OF any breed, and
on the other hand careful milking is a very
important elemeut in developing the pro.
ductiveness OF a breeder family OF dairy cows.
The milk tubes OF the udder continu,
dividing and branching upwards like the
limbs OF a tree, or bush. The ultimate
branches, or sprays, so to speak, are enve-
oped IN the equally Or more minute branches,
or sprays, OF the blood-vessels that supply
the organ with blood.
All the coats of the body, not only the
skin upon the outside, but that portion OF
the skin that is folded inward, as at the
mouth and nostrlls, and at the opening OF
the cows teats-all these coats or coverings
have for their outside layer a shingling, OF
paving, OF very small flat cells These cell,
on the outside OF the body are dry, aud ar,
continually scaling or wearing off We SEE
them, or rather hundreds oil them together
in each little particle OF dandruff that falls
from our heads, or is rubbed from the
horses skin by the curry-comb. On thu
hairless parts they are rubbed off so gradu