The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-03-23
Dairy Must


"A QdlTy COW Is one OF the SpecluC
dairy type and breed capable of max
ing large and economical production
of milk and butter fat A careful study
and analysis of this definition and its
applicatiop,to cows whenever one has
opportunity to apply 1t will greatly aid
in getting in mind the correct ideal
of the dairy COW and In judging and
buying cows.
TYPE" refers to the conformation
Of an animal and is indicative of util-
ity. Specific dairy type" refers to an
animal having large. deep barrel, a
prominent, well developed udder, and
sharp, clean cut features about the
head, neck, shoulders, back, hips and
rnmp, due to the absence of thick
flesh. Such type indicates dairy util-
ity and that she is of little value ex-
cept for milk production.
The dairy COW must be of distinct
dairy breed as well as of dairy type;
otherwise she may convert her feed
into flesh rather than milk and thus
result in beef animal. The National
country recognize the Holstein, Guern-
sey, Jersey, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss,
and Dutch Belted breeds of cattle as
distinct dairy breeds High grade and
pure bred animals of these breeds are
found in this state and rank in num-
Der in the order named. Pure bred
animals possess 100 per cent. of the
blood of their respective breeds while
the grade animals have a predomin-
ance of the blood of given breed but
less than 100 per cent. Grade cows
are generally by pure bred sires and
out of native or grade dams.
A large production of milk and but
ter fat is a necessary requisite for a
dairy COW. The production for at least
year should be taken into considera-
ton because some cows make large
production during the early part of
their lactation and then dry off soon.
1t is characteristic of beef cows and
of many poor cows of the dairy breeds
to dry off soon. A strict.5 dairy COW
tends to make large and economical
production of butter fat throughout
her life time which means that she
converts a comparatively large
amount of the feed that she eats into
milk and butter fat. and only a small
portion of 1t into building up the tissues
of her body. A dairy cow shows marks
of dairy breeding and constitution;
and not only produces milk and butter
fat in large and economical quantities
but also at regular intervals progeny
which tends to be satisfactory for
dairy purposes.
Essential Features of the Dairy Cow.
The dairy COW is a living machine
which, when in perfect health and
form. has four prominent features.
These are: body indicating a large,
strong digestive capacity, a dairy tenn
permanent which is nervous and results
in milk production rather than flesh |
production, large well developed I'D
der OF healthy gland tissue, and a |
strong circulatory system that dis
tributes the blood actively to all parts |
OF the body and gives vigor, health. !
and activity. A COW usually fails in
the production of milk as she fails in /
one or more of these essential fea-
lures. Each part Of the body bears
some relationship to one or more of
these essential features and enables
one to Judge of their prominence. /
Where one is able to consider all the
parts Of the body and Judge these es-
sentfal features he is not likely to err
seriously in his Judgment.
Digestive capacIty.-A large body.
more especially the barrel in proper
ton to the size of the animal, is in
dicative of capacity. The body of the
dairy cow should be wedge shaped as
viewed from front, side and top. That
is, WIDER at the hip points and be-
tween the fore legs than at the with
ers, and deeper from the hip points
to the lower line of the rear flank
than at the fore quarters. This char
acter OF the body has led to the term.
triple-wedge-shaped conformation. and
IN giving consideration to the d.
gestive capacity of the CIV one should
remember that 1t is the base ends of
the wedges, rather than the sharp
ends which indicate her capacity.
Long, we'll sprung ribs, openness of
shine. width Of back over loins, size
IF barrel depth and width between
he hips. and fullness of rear TANKS
III combine to indicate large digestive
'apacity. A wide forehead and a COM
,aratiyely long face are indicative OF
he size and feed capacity of the body
md likewise the broad muzzle. good |
lied mouth and strong. sinewv law