Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-22
BY j. ilASk1N.

Washington, D. c.. Sept. 19.-Nose
prints of animals asa of iden-
tifying them are now a subject of ex-
pertinent. Since the finger print of a
human being has been proved a dis
tinctive mark of Identification. spec
ulation a arisen as to whether a
nose print of a GOV or dog would not
be equally reliable.
Nose prints of several hundred
cows have been made at the Univer-
slty Of Minnesota, with encouraging
results Fred. Sandberg. a detective
Of police headquarters in this city.
made some prints of cows at b Sol
diers' home thu other day and is plan
ming similar tests with dogs.
Mr.. Sandberg, who is a finger print
expert. explains that he made his ex-
pertinent largely through curiosity.
He was interested in seeing how the
nose prints would look and whether
different animals. There is a fine herd
of Holstein COWS at the Soldiers home
in this city, and he went there carry
ing a tube of finger print ink, a plate
of glass; some paper and a piece of
cloth.
The ink first was spread W the
glass. The cows wet muzzle was
dried with the cloth, and the linked
glass was quickly rubbed over the
muzzle. Then the glass was handed
to an assistant and a sheet Of paper
pressed dexterously against the inky
muzzle. Nose printing a COW proved
to be in operation requiring at once
patience and speed, especially speed.
The first time that Sandberg tried
the process the COW rolled out her
~-~ &o~-,, ~-1 l{1Ir>I ~ L~ :~1, ~
fore the paper could be applied. After
obtained a number Of clear prints.
The prints are about three by two
inches, and loo somewhat like little
pictures Of animal skins. They have
the shape of a flattened skin, curving
in at both sides where the nostrils
Join the muzzle. The resemblance
is further carried out by the mark
ings which in these particular cows
are mottled and spotty like a leopard
skin. Some of the prints have a clear
space down the middle, while in 9TH
ers there is no symmetry in the pat
tern.
T Family Noses are Similar.
1t was found at the University .of
Minnesota that slight similarity ex-
lists between the prints of cows be-
longing to the same family. Certain
lines seem to be hereditary, a fact
which might be Of Importance in a
controversy over the breed of a. COW.
While the work is still In a pre-
liminary stage, experiments have in
dictated that each print a indivi-
duality. The ows and calves at the
university were made the subjects of
a series Of tests to determine whether
the pattern of q, muzzle changes with
time or with h process of growth.
Apparently it does not. change. The
pattern becomes larger but retains
its peculiar formation.
The nose print method of identify
ing an animal may have practical
value, in the opinion Of q local breed
er. It IL barely possible that nose
printing may supplement branding for
Identifying range cattle Frequently
these animals stray away or are
stolen, and the brands r not difficult
to change II a ranch owner kept
a set Of nose prints of his stock, he
might more certainly prove ownership
in a OF a dispute
The nose print idea, however. Il
suggested chiefly for valuable pedi-
greed animals. Suppose you go to a
farm to select a pure bred COW for
purchase, Out Of a herd Of fine black
GallowaYs you choose a desirable AMI
NAL. A few weeks later the COW IL
shipped to your farm. Could you
prove that the COW you receive ~.
or IL not, the one that you pointed
out to the owner2 Probably not In
the case OF this breed, for each COW
is black . The owner might have nc
Intention to ship the wrong COW, but
in q large herd . mistake could cas-.
ily occur.