The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-07-25
vol. x.-NEw SERIES.
HOW TO CHOOSE A FAMILY COW.

VII. ANEW -SERIES.
y ~ HOW TO CHOOSE A FAMILY COW.
Our readers are not all farmers, and
many were not even brought up on a farm,
hence they may be supposed not to know
much about COWS. Yet, as every body who
can should keep good COW, every BODY
should have some definite idea Of what CON
stitutes and how to recognize and select
such an one. How to buy one is quite
another matter. When it comes to buyino
wo would much prefer to delegate the lob,
and ruu the risk of being cheated little
than to stand and wriggle and dicker over
a few dollars, and yet it is best always to
buy just as cheap as the owner will part
With anything. .
If one has the opportunity, lie should by
all means see the cow MIXED, take q tum.
,blerful Of milk and let it stand TO see how
much cream will rise. aud ifthef6 are sew.
xHral Of which ho- ht1 TIE choice, he would
}|Q We'll TO apply this test to several of the
Jest. A good COW will give ten to twenty
quarts of milk a-day, and one giving ten
quarts OF milk, when fresh, should make a
large quantity of butter. Take no strangers
word for what his cow will do, unless he
assures you she will take down fences as
last as you can put them up, or perform
some similar feat. If possible, SEQ her
MIXED tSicc, morning and evening, and
take some of tic milk after the milking,
examine its color, set it for cream in
cylinder glass or in tumber compare the
amount Of cream with the amount of milk
look to the color the cream, which should
be yellow, aud to that of the milk, which
may be blue, but better if white. Get, if
possible, guarantee that the COW holds
out we'll, that she gives milk in good quau-
tity to within four to six weeks of calviny
Some cows which give large amount of
milk at first fall off in their yield very
rapidly few weeks after being got with
calf, aud these animals, though few in num-
Yer, are always for sale. We know of no
certain way Of detecting this bad quality
a6y inspection-although, according to the
Guenon system; there are external indica-
tions whichcmsy be relied upon; yet it
] tskes We i1dsgine, o long study of the,
8d2apR Smilk mirSprs" 5fAcqws TO detect
thussta showing this characteristic. A.
S felol h6{d dsnanr named Gueuou, early
5 estsxys disSoxaEsa shets5a
Z &hes& Am {0rln s3f esbaGd s0NSnEl lSce or
- IA = n 90 hajr 93gend dinxs SvcF
s ~ Il 8 3 s il isrs snd moro or
!, b 6S1atj me- ;o)ose toEtlie root of
u "a Tbs has sbedn called the "milk
: piftot2 or fFescutcheon," as it has at times
something the shape of a shield. Asa gen.
eral statement, it may be said that the
larger, broader and higher this "milk mir
ror is. ths more milk COW will give in
proportion to- her size, and the longer she
will hold out. In buying milk cow, beau.
ty IS not necessarily considered, for her
usefulness is what she is valued for; and,
according to the old saw, Handsome is that
handsome does" Still, beauty of color
and form makes such an animal attractive,
and adds at times many dollars to her price.
cry frequently, the very best COWS are
absolutely i'll shapen, and they ar, always
thin in flesh when in full milk In fact,
one can pick out in July the best COWS of q
herd by tho case with which their ribs NAV
be counted.
All that is unctuous in COW that giyes
rich milk does not 90 to cream, but a CIR.
tain portion makes her hide pliable and
soft aud her hair glossy. The color of the
skin is usually an indication of richness of
~"o n'''N, 'o' ~ hao, osPcCiany upon Wnlte
spots, and where the skin is bare of hair
as close around the eyes and within the
ears--a rich golden yellow or brown color.
Tine exact age of cow is di fficult to
determine, bu:: it is Of little moment COM
pared with tho numbSg of calves she has
had. This maybe accurately determined
by the rings on her horns. The first calf
is usually dropped when the heifer is either
two or three years old, and calves year by
year after that, cause, of course, annual
rings. Exposure during very severe win
ter, or fit Of severe sickness, continued
several weeks, will also form ring. A
cow is in her prime at about FIVE years old,
or after having her third calf. After she
Is eight years old, marked falling off is
usually noticeable; yet the difference in
the vigor Of different breeds is great
Health is an important consideration.
which the buyer must always bear in mind,
{ IF the COW eats heartily Of common foddef,;.
: If she gives good quantity Of milk if.hsr
uddcr is not lumpy, or caked, or hot; If sFe'
has no cough, and does not.go lame, snd is
warranted sound, it il. fair TO suppose she is
In rood ordinary health .E