The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-02-06
MILK TEST COUNTS
IN BUYING COWS
MILK SCALE, BABCOCK TEST
AND TUBERCULIN TEST
ARE IMPORTANT
SOME RULES FOR THE BUYER
Nhen Production Tests Are Not Avail
able, The Only Recourse Is To
Look for Dairy Char
acteristics."
How 10 You buy a dairy COW?

acteristies."
How do YOU buy a dairy COW?
The milk scale. the Babcock test
md the tuberculin test are the correct
Nay but it isn't always possible to buy
iairy COWS ON their production rec
lrds 1t is possible to buy only tu-
5e7culn tested COWS and this point
,hould be insisted on as a cardinal
principle
In the past few months scores of in
Wiries have come to the dairy depart
nent Of Oklahoma A. & NJ. College at
saltwater for information that would
sarye AS a guide in buying dairy cows
dany Of these inquiries have come
rom householders in the cities who
ear a milk famine because some CONF
nercal dairy herds have broken up
The family COW may again become an
institution but the head of the family
S often concerned with the fear that
he $50 COW he has just bought might
lave been expensive at S75. Buying
iairy COWS, like buying diamonds is
10 job for an amateur
When production records are not
available there are four important
qualities that the buyer should look
or in a dairy COW, says Prof A. G.
Baer of the dairy department at A..
X Nj College They are First, large
capacity to consume feed, second,
fairy temperament; third we'll deycl-
)ped milk organs fourth the COW
must show health yigor and milk flow.
Prof. Baer explains these points as
'olIows
Capacity for Feed
"a COW with a large stomach capa-
;ity as indicated by great depth and
width of barrel with ribs long and
yolISplung, is a good feeder A light
ecder is a shsrt ribbed, round barrel
ID animal whose legs seem too long
or her body She never makes
profit Good feeders with broad jaws
ire profitable milk producers The
narrow iawod COW is always a poor
producer and soon dries up
Dairy Temperament.
"A COW with a large feed capacity
aust also convert her fed into milk
md not change it into flesh A good
Indication that COW has a dairy
temperament is a sharp. thin shoulder
With little muscle on the sides The
nip bones of a we'll fed dairy COW arc
prominent and the thighs only thinly
'oyercd with flesh. Again, a good
iairy COW has thin, long neck and a
can and light brisket The back
should be strong openjointcd and
prominent to the tail head
Well Developed Milk Organs.
"The udder is the organ in which
milk is made from the blood, and TO
produce a large quantity of milk a
'ow must have a large uddcr The
ldder should extend well forward and
we'll up behind The thighs should be
ar apart and the twist high and open
30 that there is room for large ud-
Ter The rump should be long and
Nde and level An animal with
short rump usually has a short udder
The teats Of good udder are placed
we'll apart and are comparatively long
Health, Vigor and Milk Flow. /
"A COW having a large heart girth,
arge and open nostrils, bright and
placid eyes, AS we'll as soft pliable
skin with fine and straight hair is usu-
ally in good health The milk veins
running along the belly in front of the
adder are large and crooked in good
Hairy COW when she is milking Well
The milk wells, through which the
milk veins enter the body of the COW,
should be large and should be located
nearer the front legs of the COW than
her udder In a beef animal these
milk wells are usually located a short
distance in front Of the udder.
Hints On Buying Cows.
"1. Buy only tuberculin tested
COWS You cannot afford to introduce
disease into your herd
20 DO not buy from a dealer un-
.oss you are satisfied of his reputation
and can trust him to represent COWS
as they are.
20 When buying registered COWS
10 not pay cash for the entire value
Of the animal until you have received
The registration papers aud certificate
Of transfer 1t will stimulate more
prompt action in getting your papers
a. II possible always insist on
knowing the production of the COW
Or the record of her ancestors. No
pedigree of an animal amounts to
much if official production records are
not included.
"5. In buying a registered bull or
bull calf, try to secure an animal with
Advanced Registry breeding or Reg.
ster Of Merit breeding Such an ami
may costs more but he is worth more.
"6 Buy cows from breeders in
your state or community. If possible
see the cows before acquiring them.
"After using all precautions in Sc.
ecting good cows and tested sire,
purchase a milk scale and learn how
fo use the RabcOck test Keen only