JUDGING COWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 448, 16 March 1912, Page 3

JUDGING COWS.

Judges and experts have, realised the importance of certain points and have fixed a set scale for judging dairy cows. Since the flow of milk depends primarily upon the number,activity and efficiency of the milk glands; and secondly, upon the flow of blood to the udder and the nutrients contained in the blood, ic is clear that the stomach and udder deserve the importance attached to them; and since the nervous system is closely coordinate to the digestive system and directly controls to a considerable degree, the How of blood to the udder, it also deserves attention. Since the abdomen and udder are the chief manufaturing points it is but natural that extreme development in these parts should be sought for, and inasmuch as meat carrying capacity and inclinations are not considered essential in highly specialised dairy cows these have been neglected. This has resulted in a general type that has been found to be good in milk production. There is no reason why a dairy cow must be narrow in front or wedgeshaped, but because of the extreme development of certain portions of the body and neglect of the other portions, such a wedge-shaped type has resulted, and is considered desirable by dairymen. The refinement about the head and neck and the lightness of the forequarters indicates that the animal is not disposed to lay on flesh, but rather devotes her food to milk making.

A strong constitution is necessary, and this secured in the dairy cow by a deep chest with good width, particularly on the floor of the chest, rather than by great spring of rib. Thus, in the best animal the strength of constitution is secured by a deeper chest, egg-shaped with end down. As the supply of nutrients furnished through the blood to the mammary glands is governed by the efficiency of the digestive organs, a large barrel is very desirable, and is insured by long, well sprung ribs, set wide apart. The open-jointed-ness of the back is merely an indication of the general openness of the skeleton which, as it gives a large roomy body, large for weight is considered desirable. The broad loin accompanied by width of hindquarters and roomy barrel!. The young animal is nourished before birth, by blood vessels passing through the navel and if large, it is considered to indicate that the foetus was well nourished before birth, and as an animal born.