The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-02-23

IN Fat.
The tail Is often measured in judging
the cow and should reach to or below
the hooks and carry a good switch.
This renders 1t most useful in brush
ing flies, which appears to be its chief
purpose.
In judging the quality and condition
Of the muscular tissue of the body one
should remember to take into consid-
Grafton the size, age, and stage Of
lactation Of the animal. The bone
and muscular tissues in a large COW
are naturally heavier than in a small
one and there Is not the apparent re-
fnement and spareness of form in the
large breeds that is noted in the
smaller ones. Marked coarseness,
! however, in any animal is usually
accompanied by a sluggish disposi-
ton which in dairy cow prevents
her from performing satisfactorily.
Young heifers with first calf usually
carry more flesh than cows of mature
form. All properly fed cows usually
show higher condition of flesh de-
velopment toward the close Of their
! lactation and prior to freshening than
they do when four or five months ad-
vanced in lactation.
The Udder.-The udder is the milk
secreting organ and its proper devel-
opment is, therefore, essential. In
many instances cows of large digestive
capacity and Of dairy breeding have
failed in production apparently on ac-
count of poorly developed udders. The
udder consists of two large glands,
each of which is more or less distinct.
ly divided to correspond with each OF
the four teats and form the quarters
The duct Of each teat enters small
cavity termed the milk cistern. The
milk cistern Of each quarter is more
or less surrounded by lobes of gland
tissue held in position and closely to
gether by connecting tissue. These
lobes may be likened to thick punches
of grapes since each lobe has several
lobules corresponding to the grapes
The lobules are made OF small divisions
called alveoli which correspond to the
seeds OF grapes. These alveoli are
constructed of small cells surrounded
by fine network of blood vessels and
nerves and it is by these cells that the
milk is secreted.
The best cows have comparatively
large udders with equally developed
quarters extending well forward IN
derneath the body and good distance
up behind and between the thighs.
Poor attachment giving a swinging or
pendant type of udder and deficiency
and irregularity in the development Of
the quarters are criticisms to be Of
fered on many cows. The quality of
the udder when examined by handling
should reveal gland tissue of fine,
plastic texture rather than fatty tissue
or a texture that Is coarse and hard.
The circuIatory system.-This sys-
tenn determines the activity of the
cow with respect to all parts of the
body. Only when in perfect health
and all parts Of the body are actively
performing their respective functions
can the dairy cow be expected to yield
a large flow of milk. When the cow
is sick or by virtue of her poor indi-
viduality is dull and morbid there Is
an inactivity of all the glands of the
body resulting in dry, harsh condi-
tioH of the skin, staring coat, and
low production of milk. The circula-
tory system includes the heart, lungs,
arteries and veins since these organs
respectively force, purify and carry
blood to and from all parts of the
body. When food becomes digested
and assimilated the blood must carry
1t to the parts of the body demanding
it and in the dairy COW the glands of
the udder demand large share of the
nourishment of the blood for the secre-
tion of milk. The size and character
of the milk veins, more properly
termed "mammary veins" and the
milk wells on the underside of the
body are the best indications of how
much blood passes through the udder.
These veins do not cary milk as some
people believe, but carry a large por
ton Of the blood away from the udder. |
The blood passes into the udder |
through arteries located deep on the |
inner side of the thighs. If one were
standing below a mill propelled by a
water wheel and noted the race filed
with water from the mill he would |
have reason to believe that the mill |
was in operation and performing its
work. Likewise when one observes (
large, branching mammary veins en-
tering the body through wells of suffi-
cient size to avoid vein becoming
gorged he has reason to believe that I
the udder is performing its work we'll.