SIGNS OF CHARACTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 2

SIGNS OF CHARACTER.

WHAT THE' HE^^OF'-THE-'ljAliftV-'. SIRE ' «n .REVEALS.' *>"■■■>>' :M | In studying dairy sires the farmer should' ' be constantly, on the look, out for indications ~ which will reveal 'desirablo .characteristics. lij. the head arq centred all the nerves of the'j body, and now the question is, is there any-., • thiiig about tho external construction to_ . reveal the.quality'and the'strength of the/. nervous system. The eye, which is closely [ associated with the brain,' reflects, to a large . ■ extent, the nervous energy of the animal. | One likes to 'see an . eye full and bright,. I active but hot of a nervous expression; a' , .mild eye rather than ono having a wild appearance. An eye of this kind reveals the , right sort of nerve energy which should be t possessed by the dairy sire. [ The sunken and half-closed eye indicates . a nervous system which is unresponsive and j lacking in quality. A dairy siro which re- , fleeted through his eye this sort, of tomperaj ment should not be selected. Nervous temperament does not moan an animal that is., nervous but rather nerve-full. A nervous I animal is one that is lacking in nerve quality.. The distance between tho eyes should bo' wide, that is, the animal should have , a wide i forehead. . This denotes! intelligence and .in . t turn a strong nerve centro. It is also do-; ' sirablo to have good length from the base : of the horn to the eye. .... . The large and open nostril is indicative . I of largo and w'ell developed lungs. It shows , tliat the openings to the lungs aro largo , r enough to permit an abundance of air to . pass to the lungs to purify the .blood. . ;, . 1 The wide muzzle and mouth are also de-,.' r sirable. Since the mouth, is the cavity . ' through which the food must pass tb the ? stomach, its size is moro or less indicative 5 of tho capacity-of digestive organs. A targe'.. and powerful digestive tract is a prime quali--1 fication in'all good dairy animals. . 0 In general the head should bo fiho rather' than coarse, but revealing strength. An s animal, as a rule, with a coarse and, heavy 0 head has a body that is also coarse, and not " possessing good dairy conformation. _ The coarse and, heavy horn is also indicative of . the same characteristics.