The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-09-01
The Gnenon System.


Guenon's system was based upon the
alleged discovery that on the posteriors
of the bovine race, reaching from the
vulva and extending down over the ud-
/ der and on the inside of the thighs, a
portion of the hair grew upward and
was easily distinguished from the sur
rounding hair, growing downward. In
so doing, the upward hair takes different
! shapes, which he calls eSeutcheons. The
size and shape of these indicate the guam
/ tity of milk the COW will give and the
4 length of time she viii continue to milk
after calving This latter was also af-
fected by certain tufts of coarse hair or
blemishes on the escutcheon.
Then be noticed the character of the
hair growing upon the escutcheon, the
color of the skin under it. and the quail
! itv of the skin. 1t depends upon the
quality of the hair and the skin to define
the quality or richness of the milk the
animal viii give. The indications ofthe
best quality by. the hair are where the
hair is short, soft, silky, furry; and by
the skin, where the skin is soft, like a Kid
glove, very OleaginouS, uuctuous with
the richness or fat pervading the animal
and eNuding through the skin and form
ing dandruil
The nearer the color of the skin comes
to that peculiar rich yellow or copper
color which Gucnon calls indicnne, or
nankeen color, the better it is. P;rticu-
lar attention must be given to these
points, for they have great bearing on
the judgment to be formed; and the cs-
0utcheon is only to he judged in connec-
ton with these and other points
In addition to the escutcheon, the hair,
the skin, and the color of the skin, there
are other points quite necessary to in
terpret infallibly. These are the breed,
the size, the feed, the care and treatment.
the surroundings (such rs climate, tenn
perature), period of CESSATION, and age
of the animal. For instance. we should
not Judge the little jersey from the
standpoint of the Durham. In one case
the size of the jersey, even with the
same class of escutcheon, would indicate
a less quantity of milk; vet the Jersey
would most probably Indicate n better
quality. SO we would not Judge an
AYRSHIRE from the same point of view as
grade COW or a so-called native. Differ
ent breeds to have Il prevalence of a
similar class of escutcheon. Thus a
jersey will rather incline to the Selva@e
and Bicorn escutcheons; a Durham and
Dutch, 10 The FLANDERS; Whlle graote
COWS viii be of more variety in their
escutcheon and harder to place in a class,
from the mixture of two classes of es-
cutcheon being brought together, as de-
yeloped on two breeds or mixed breeds.
The rules of the system are as applica-
BILE to calves and bulls as to cows; for by
them can be told, after three months,
whether it will pay to raise the calf, or
to dispose of it. In either sex, the young
should be judged by class and size of
escutcheon, by the color and texture of
the skin and hair. Thus a saving is
effected in not being at the expense of
raising poor calf and not being dis
appointed in future results. From this
ability TO raise or purchase only the best,
the improvement of the herds viii be
very great and we shall breed only the
best-JE p. Hazard, IN Ohio Farmer.