Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-04-13
HOW TO SELECT A
GOOD GRADE COW

UOUU UIlnUk UUU
BY o. C. Gregg, lecturer North Da-
kota farmers institutes. 1911.
The five points to be observed in
the selection OF good milking cows
from grade or native COWS are the
prominent ones that will appear in
all of the milking forms of the cattle
race without regard to breed. We
can give these points under numerical
heads.
First. Observe with care and note
as first point, that the cow we are
now passing upon has large and am
pie sized body. Let this body ex-
tend to a point just back of the shout
der straight down to the lower part,
also let it be included between the
line that we extend mentioned and
line that we will call imaginary
that will extend from the hook or hip
bone straight down to the lower part
of the body again. 1t is an excellent
thing if the depth of the body is as
strong or stronger at this point as
at any other point that we will call
its depth. Sometimes this bodily ca
pacity is composed to certain ex-
tent in the length of the body. In
either case we want a large ample
and capacious body. This large body
is needed and must appear for the
ample supply of milk must come from
much food received and digested with
in the area that we have noted. This
food content is there taken up into
the blood. With this evidence of a
large supply Of blood we have a good
start in estimating that we will have
a good supply of milk.
| Second: We look with care be-
hind the fore shoulder and observe
if the backbone is prominent and if
that part of the body which is called
the crops is scantily covered with
flesh; this does not mean that the
animal shall be in poor condition; it
only means that the animal is not in
clined to use this blood to make flesh
out of it. Beef cattle are full at this
part of the body. We are selecting for
milk. We want the ample supply of
blood to go to the udder where the
milk is made.
Third: Next go to the udder and
see if it be reasonably large. Do not
depend upon the eye to estimate this
size. Many good sized udders are
contained largely within the body and
their size is not apparent. You will
see the forepart of the udder, be it
large or small. Take hold of the
skin between the hind quarters. Up
to the point where the skin ceases
to be as loose as upon the other part
of the body we can judge that the
udder extends. One can get a fair
idea of the udder attachment to the
body by drawing an imaginary line
from the point last mentioned to the
front udder thai we have seen; this
will give one distinct and positive
line of attachment of the udder to
the body. If that line is long, then
we have the clasping form. In such
a form we have natures provision to
receive that ample supply Of blood
that this good body will produce.
Fourth: Now put the hand on what
is known as the milk vein which en-
tends from the udder along the lower
part of the body on both sides: at
the end of this vein will be found a
hole through the body wall. This
hole should be large enough to take
the end of an average index finger;
by pressing against the wall of the
body for the space of about two inches
in varying direction a second hole
will be found that will be about the
size of a lead pencil. Look for these
These holes trough the body are for
the return of the veins which take the
blood to very great extent to the
udder. Here we have an absolute
fact which indicates that the blood
makes it's circuit through the uu.er
or gland where milk is made. We
can safely reason that from this abun'
dance of blood we shall have an abun.
dance of i.lilk.
Fifth: Last of all look and see if
the eye Of the animal is large and full.
This largeness of the eye Indicates
strong nerve system. Digestion
and milk secretion is the work of
the nerve system. The nerve system
is the power that drives this animal
milk machine.
These five points may be called five
degrees in cattle judging. We add a
sixth. Use the scales and the Bah
cock test, and COW has been brought
to sure cattle judgment. Any COW
that will verify the six points will
prove to be a good mixer unless she
has been ruined by bad handling or
! bad feeding