The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-21

w iottrII UciuS uudDlc I'D htle0O, on account
of the death OF his sister, Mrs. Morris. His
letter contained encouraging words TO the
dali ymen of Indiana.
Mr.. George Jackson read quite an interest
ing essay on the selection of dairy stock
discussing the Guernor system of judging of
the quality and quantity Of good COW by
certain marks of the escutcbeon. Following
is the essay:
SELECTION OF DAIRY STOCK.
This subject Is one about which much has
been said ana writ, en- all over the country. A
great diversity of opinion exists among armed
and practical men as to what constitutes the
best form, and general chaIacreristlcs of the
perfect dairy animal, but all agree that there
is certain unmistaRable outward evidence
which denotes lat least to considerable de-
gree of certainty whether or not she can be
prchtably employed in the dairy.
Flrst, we require a large stomach,
broad hips and deep sides, full and capacIous
good digestive apparatus and
hearty constitutpa, the vigor and tone of
which is indicated By the lustre of the hair
softness of the sRin, and brightness of the eve
Standing in front OF the cow we observe that
she Is wedge shape, or, that she widens as she
gets back 10 her nips, that her head Is small
and neat in proportion to the size of her BODY
a waxy horn, a mild but large eye.
The next important organ for examination
IS The udder; In TACT, II Is OF the first import
ance. The cow may assimilate large amount
OF 1000 which goes mostly to lay on fat and
flesh, but if she mas a large, broad and deep I'D
der with large milk veins, IL is safe 10 conclude
that her large capacity for digestion and as
similatiOn are active in filling this receptacle.
II 1t extends beyond the thighs and well up be-
hind, well forward, moderately broad and
deep, with good sized teats, well apart. SIX
soft and thiD-it may confidently be inferred
that we have dairy COW of the first order.
An important consideration in selecting
dairy cows, even OF common blood, Is her ped
igree. If she descends from a large milking
uam and grand dam, ana her ancestors have
been OF this sort, this viii greatly incIease the
probability of perpetuating these valuable
requisites by breeding her 10 thorOug hbred
bull from deep milking ancestry.
A few cows selected by this standard and
Judleiously bred VIII lay the foundation of Il
herd OF dairy animals that can not fail to in
sure profit and success TO their owner; while
on the contrary, IL is simply folly to "a calf
from a poor mixer with the staring fact be-
fore Us that the heifer will never pay for her
keep. thoroughbred male must always
be used to insure the perpetuation
Of valuable milk qualities in the dam, aud the
bull that represents the longest line OF great
milk-produclng ancestors on both sides, is the
most prepotent for the purposes of the dairy
man. There has been much discussion upon
the subject of the development OF the esCutch-
con, as a guide in the selection of dairy stock
There is no doubt that it affords considerable
niticance, and be guided by its teachings, over
one who does not. The knowledge does not
prevent him from using his half dozen other
modes OF deciding the merits, but aids them.
So,tOo,in selecting a bull for propagation. The
believer fn GueDons theory will select one
win good eScutcheOn ana fine skin, while
the other Will be guided almost entirely by
the form. Calves selected with this system
for guide will be pretty sure to grow into a
DAIRY OF productive cows.
The cow, whose skin is soft and greasy,
covered with fine short hair, showing the
skin yellow under it; the skin covering her
udder, soft and thin, with her milk veins
prominent and knotty, entering the body, with
good sized holes and particularly if this vein
is dOuble) extending and Iamifying over the
udder, well back in prominent veins. We
may look with great confidence for large
and well-formed escutcneon of the first class.
/ To complete the picture, she should nave
large, bony hips, thin thighs, with ample
accommodations for her capacious udder. A
/ loose, open-made cow, rather pointed or
/ sharp, snd well-detined (and the contrary of
/ what we would look for in a flesh or beef
1 producing animall, with skin mellow and
/ yellow, approaching the color and quality of
/ a observation-disclosures or Jersey COW, breeds
/ that have for centuries been bred for butter
/ making, we know she must be good, rich,
/ with thick hard skin and coarse
| long hair is rarely good butter producer, or,
! in fact, fit for anything but giving poor milk,
/ Perhaps the most desirable and profitable
animal for the dairy is one produced from a
+ Jersey sire from an Ayrshire dam. for milk
/ ard Inter Thonph "A { sucrneev or Jersey Sire
\ To the milking stock of short horns, or Hol-
stems or large yielding native COW, will pro.
duce one better for butter than her mother
was.
The common dairy stock of the country con-
( taiBs sucn mixture Of blood that they can
not DE depended upon rs breeders, especially
! dairyman who desires to obtain herd OF
superior excellence must use only the best
/ from amongst his mixers TO a thoroughbred
male OF the breed, best adapted to his special
line OF dairying.
I'm JanuaTy, 1873, the governor of Pennsyiva-
MIA appoint committee of three gentlemen
! 10 investigate and test the GuenOn or milk
/ escutcheOn theory. This committee OF ex-
perts was composed OF George Blight, Phila-
delphia; Chalkly Harvey, ChadSford: Willis p
! Hazard, West Chester-Gll very practical and
and intelligent men-to determine how
guide in slecIigg animals for G t6e dsirv After
examining over zoo COWS and heifers. they an
nounced that the result was to convince them
and others of the merits of the system, of its
; exceeding value to the practical farmer; and
they believe, IL generally followed for % years
the value OF the neat cattle of the state would
/ butter produced would be much larger, having
believed In and practiced the system for many
years. They add that their recent extended
and careful Investigation, and contact with q
number OF owners of all grades and breeds OF
stock, has tended 10 confirm them more thor
Oughly in their belief, AS an adjunct to previ-
ers ofcattle in getting or raising the best and
wedding out the. poorest, they think il is
/ worthy of being acquired by every farmer
The manner of making up their ace Junt Of
each animal is to examine the escutcheon
and the udder, from which they place her in
the class and the order nearest 10 those de-
/ lneated by Guenon.' and then estimate the
quantity, quality and lime she will milk.
/ These estimates must be, of course, only APP
tons Of the escuicheOn, the size of the COW,
and her probable condition.
Asst is readily seen that where estimates are
/ based upon what the cow should do WITHIN
/ three month of her being fresh, IL would be
impossible TO always grade the exact value OF
all the cows in a herd. each of which is at g
different period of CESSATION or in different
/ condition or state of health; and where also
the COW is affected by the way in which she is
fed, and cared for by the season by the state oil
/ the temperature and by other circumstances
The estimates are based upon what the com
| mission thinks the COW would do when all the
conditions are favorable to her development
| and when she is properly fed and cared for.
| A record was made by the commission on
the spot. An account of the quail les of each
head is drawn up by the owner. Each * made
! at separate times and without the knowledge
! Of the other party.
II the accounts agree In 70 per cent. out o.
100. it certainly must be presumed the system
has sufficient value to make it worthy o.
adoption by all farmers and breeders.
| AS every farmer knows the yield is much
influenced by the feed, the care. the exposure
the treatment of the case, therefore, certain
! amount of allowance must be made, for these
various things will 80 alter matters that nc
one can tell to quart, or pound OF butter
or to the week in time of milking. In fact,every
/ farmer knows: neither the owner, possibly mo-
Z his Tell "A how mucf