Points Of A Good Cow

Categories: History and Breeds

After satisfaction is afforded touching the age of a cow, she should be

examined with reference to her soundness of constitution. A good

constitution is indicated by large lungs, which are found in a deep,

broad, and prominent chest, broad and well-spread ribs, a respiration

somewhat slow and regular, a good appetite, and if in milk a strong

inclination to drink, which a large secretion of milk almost invariably

stimul tes. In such a cow the digestive organs are active and energetic,

and they make an abundance of good blood, which in turn stimulates the

activity of the nervous system, and furnishes the milky glands with the

means of abundant secretion. Such a cow, when dry, readily takes on fat.

When activity of the milk-glands is found united with close ribs, small

and feeble lungs, and a slow appetite, often attended by great thirst,

the cow will generally possess only a weak and feeble constitution; and

if the milk is plentiful, it will generally be of bad quality, while the

animal, if she does not die of diseased lungs, will not readily take on

fat, when dry and fed.






In order to have no superfluous flesh, the cow should have a small,

clean, and rather long head, tapering toward the muzzle. A cow with a

large, coarse head will seldom fatten readily, or give a large quantity

of milk. A coarse head increases the proportion of weight of the least

valuable parts, while it is a sure indication that the whole bony

structure is too heavy. The mouth should be large and broad; the eye

bright and sparkling, but of a peculiar placidness of expression, with

no indication of wildness, but rather a mild and feminine look. These

points will indicate gentleness of disposition. Such cows seem to like

to be milked, are fond of being caressed, and often return caresses. The

horns should be small, short, tapering, yellowish, and glistening. The

neck should be small, thin, and tapering toward the head, but thickening

when it approaches the shoulder; the dewlaps small. The fore quarters

should be rather small when compared with the hind quarters. The form of

the barrel will be large, and each rib should project further than the

preceding one, up to the loins. She should be well formed across the

hips and in the rump.



The spine or back-bone should be straight and long, rather loosely hung,

or open along the middle part, the result of the distance between the

dorsal vertebrae, which sometimes causes a slight depression, or sway

back. By some good judges, this mark is regarded as of great importance,

especially when the bones of the hind quarters are also rather loosely

put together, leaving the rump of great width and the pelvis large, and

the organs and milk-vessels lodged in the cavities largely developed.

The skin over the rump should be loose and flexible. This point is of

great importance; and as, when the cow is in low condition or very poor,

it will appear somewhat harder and closer than it otherwise would, some

practice and close observation are required to judge well of this mark.

The skin, indeed, all over the body, should be soft and mellow to the

touch, with soft and glossy hair. The tail, if thick at the setting on,

should taper and be fine below.



But the udder is of special importance. It should be large in

proportion to the size of the animal, and the skin thin, with soft,

loose folds extending well back, capable of great distension when

filled, but shrinking to a small compass when entirely empty. It must be

free from lumps in every part, and provided with four teats set well

apart, and of medium size. Nor is it less important to observe the

milk-veins carefully. The principal ones under the belly should be large

and prominent, and extend forward to the navel, losing themselves,

apparently, in the very best milkers, in a large cavity in the flesh,

into which the end of the finger can be inserted; but when the cow is

not in full milk, the milk-vein, at other times very prominent, is not

so distinctly traced; and hence, to judge of its size when the cow is

dry, or nearly so, this vein may be pressed near its end, or at its

entrance into the body, when it will immediately fill up to its full

size. This vein does not convey the milk to the udder, as some suppose,

but is the channel by which the blood returns; and its contents consist

of the refuse of the secretion, or of what has not been taken up in

forming milk. There are also veins in the udder, and the perineum, or

the space above the udder, and between that and the buttocks, which it

is of special importance to observe. These veins should be largely

developed, and irregular or knotted, especially those of the udder. They

are largest in great milkers.



The knotted veins of the perineum, extending from above downwards in a

winding line, are not readily seen in young heifers, and are very

difficult to find in poor cows, or those of only a medium quality. They

are easily found in very good milkers, and if not at first apparent,

they are made so by pressing upon them at the base of the perineum,

when they swell up and send the blood back toward the vulva. They form

a kind of thick network under the skin of the perineum, raising it up

somewhat, in some cases near the vulva, in others nearer down and closer

to the udder. It is important to look for these veins, as they often

form a very important guide, and by some they would be considered as

furnishing the surest indications of the milking qualities of the cow.

Full development almost always shows an abundant secretion of milk; but

they are far better developed after the cow has had two or three calves,

when two or three years' milking has given full activity to the milky

glands, and attracted a large flow of blood. The larger and more

prominent these veins the better. It is needless to say that in

observing them some regard should be had to the condition of the cow,

the thickness of skin and fat by which they may be surrounded, and the

general activity and food of the animal. Food calculated to stimulate

the greatest flow of milk will naturally increase these veins, and give

them more than usual prominence.