Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-14
JUDGING MILK COWS
BY CONFORMATION
] Judges Estimates
Compared with Ac-
tual Production; Not
Favor b lie to the
Method of Judging;
Experiments Cover
ing a Long Period

Ororo, Ne, July 1S.-The following
was issued today from the office of
Director Charles D. Woods of the
Maine Experiment station:
Although the main object aimed at
in the Animal Husbandry Expert
ments by the Maine Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station is finding the laws
that underiie inheritance Of milk and
milk fat production, IL has published
rather more than TOO pages Of the
analysis Of Advanced Registry and
other dairy records
Much of the literature pertaining
to dairy cattle breeding has to do
with conformation of the cow as a
measure Of her possible or probable
milk production. The so-calied
stock Judging IL based on conforma-
ton. Certain Of the standards set
for ideals Of conformation as Of head.
body. milk veins and udder have been
arrived at somewhat arbitrarily. In
Judging the ideal is 100 anu the de-
parrure from the ideal is Indicated by
a smaller number. When traced TO
their source. surprising though If
may appear, there is little concrete
evidence upon which to decide what
the true value Of an animal confor-
mum milk production.
Several years ago the American
Jersey Cattle Club collected a very
valuable and large body of data
bearing on this point. These con-
sisted of the reports of the Judges on
conformation. seven day milk and
butter-fat tests. and yearly milk
yields. Through the kindness of the
Secretary of the Club these data
were placed at the disposal of the
Maine Station for analysis as up to
that time they had not been ade-
quately analysed. About 100 cows
we're examined (iudged) by about 240
individuals (judges,. The animals
were all Jerseys with sufficiently high
records of milk yield and butter fat
production 10 be included in the
Register of Merit" class. The re-
suits of the study were published in
detail in the Journal of Dairy Sci
ence and in abstract form as miscei-
laneous publication 53S by this Sta
ton. A copy of the last named can
be had on request TO the Director at
Orono.
The following are among the things
found that are OF considerable prac-
teal interest These cows in spite OF
their high milk production failed by
10 points 10 reach the ideal. In the
minds of the judges the most serious
ly defective parts had to deal with
the nammary system. its size and
blood supply. OF the parts which
have 70 do with the body proper the
least ideal was the barrel. The most
variable part of the body included
the horns and the muzzle The least
variable was the size of the body.
The primary object of cattle judg-
ing is to measure the probable milk
yield The total score of the animal
in these cases was a closer meas
ure than any detail for conformation
OF the animals production as shown
by the scales and butter . test The
parts having a distinctly significant
relation to the milk production we're
LlI0 tl1ilh NciHS- SIZE NDiioiI4oli -
the udder and especially the size and
shape of the rear portion Of the I'D
der. the shape and size of the barrel
and the general appearance Of the
cow.
A comparison between the esti-
mates of the judges and a seven day
milk test as A measure OF the whole
lactation's milk Yield was not favor
able TO the method of judging. n
seven day milk test in these 100
cases was two and a half times near
er the actual production than the
prediction from the conformation by
the 1io judges. This means that
the short milk test is far superior TO
the conformation as a guide TO actual
milk production. It emphasizes the
value of the so-called' advanced
registry records whether II be by the
continuous seven-day test or by the
two day monthly yearly tests. Such
tests. taken III connection with the
analysis Of milk and butter fat
Weld at different ages and stages of
iactation as have been made by the
Maine Station. made it fairly easy 70
tell in her first lactation whether a
heifer is promising animal and
what She would likely yield in any
subsequent lactation.