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F. GUENON. 
 
GUEN ON 
 
 ON 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 A TREATISE UPON 
 
 THE BOVINE SPECIES IN GENERAL. 
 
 Tr.ANSLATED FROM THE LAST AND ENLARGED EDITION OF F, 6UENON. 
 
 BY 
 
 THOS. J. HAND. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 
 
 751 BROADWAY. 
 1883. 
 
 n+ 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by the 
 
 ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washiiij^'ton. 
 
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 The Version in English of Guenon's Treatise through 
 which his system became known to American Breeders, 
 Dairymen, and othei's, was Mr. Trist's translation, made 
 more than thirty years ago, from the first French edition, 
 published long before the Author had completed his ob- 
 servations and studies. 
 
 To its incompleteness and consequent defects may be 
 attributed much of the lack of appreciation with which 
 the system has met. For its fair and intelligent discus- 
 sion an accurate knowledge of its Author's mature con- 
 clusions is requisite. This the Translator offers as his 
 contribution. 
 
 As there are no infalHble external signs of milk-giying 
 capacity, exceptions will be met with ; but as Mr. Mackie 
 has observed : "A. cow having originally a natural 
 capacity for copious milk-giving may by some cause, per- 
 haps altogether unknown, be converted at an early age 
 into a very moderate milker, and yet retain all the ex- 
 ternal signs of good dairy quality. The head may remain 
 small, her throat clean, her neck thin, her body wedge- 
 shaped, her tail long and slender, etc., etc., and yet the 
 yield of her udder be greatly reduced by some of the 
 causes above alluded to, whether known or unknown. 
 These external dairy-marks are not discredited on ac- 
 
 (^^-b «-i- ^ 
 
6 tkakslatoe's prefacf. 
 
 count of numerous exceptions to their reliability, and 
 the same is true of the escutcheon. As a general rule, 
 cows having good escutcheons are good cows; and the 
 reverse. In those parts of Europe where cows have for 
 generations been worked under the yoke, the escutcheon 
 has almost entirely disappeared ; whereas in the dairy 
 races, like the Dutch, the Ayrshire, the Jersey, and the 
 native American, the escutcheon is generally of large size 
 in all good milkers." 
 
 If, then, Guenon's system will but enable any one to 
 know at sight a good cow from a bad one, and to select 
 the best animals out of a herd; and esjDecially if it enables 
 one to choose the best calves and young heifers without 
 waiting until they have grown up to maturity, is it not 
 of great value ? 
 
 The frequent repetitions to be met with in the text are 
 to be explained on the ground that the book is intended 
 for reference and consultation, and therefore the Author 
 has given the necessary information at every point, 
 v/ithout presupposing a j^erfect memory on the reader's 
 part of all that precedes. 
 
 The only portions of the original work that have been 
 omitted are some chapters relating to certam local breeds 
 in France, that do not possess interest or value to Ameri- 
 can readers. T. J. H. 
 
 New York. 
 
MILCH CO^WS. 
 
 THE AUTHOR'S ACCOUNT OF HIS DISCOVERY. 
 
 Error seems to be propagated with the velocity of 
 light. Every obstacle disappears before it, and everywhere 
 it is welcomed. Truth, on the contrary, is usually re- 
 ceived with indifference, and often with doubt, mistrust, 
 or suspicion. How often have we seen the originator 
 of a discovery which, accepted and put in practice, 
 would augment the wealth, and increase the vv-ell-being 
 of a community, wrecked upon hatred, ignorance, and 
 envy, and become the scorn of the learned, who regard 
 him as ignorant, and the laughing-stock of fools, who 
 look upon him as a lunatic. Too weak to struggle 
 against such odds, he perishes in the contest, leaving to 
 his opponents the glory of having — perhaps for ages to 
 come — buried his discovery in oblivion, and to the pub- 
 lic, the loss of an unknown advantage. 
 
 If — happier than these martyrs of new ideas — I had at 
 last succeeded, after twelve years of incessant struggles, 
 in making the truth of my discovery obvious to all, 
 nothing would then remain for me but to express my 
 gratitude to those generous friends who had aided me, 
 and to leave to those who so firmly supported and en- 
 couraged my efforts, the care of popularizing and dis- 
 seminating my method. 
 
 During the many years Avhich have passed since I 
 gave to the public the first edition of my " Treatise on 
 
 m 
 
 nl 
 
8 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Milch Cows/' men of science and practical breeders have 
 given it great attention. AVhen they saw its application 
 by myself, and beheld the accurate estimate which I was 
 able to make, by merely looking on animals, which I 
 then beheld for the first time, they were greatly sur- 
 prised, so far did the success surpass their expectation. 
 And yet, to my thinking, there is nothing in the fact 
 which science can not explain. 
 
 As this work is entirely of a jDractical character, I 
 have thought it best to leave to anatomists the task of 
 furnishing more complete details of the nature and con- 
 ditions of the milk-giving organs and function. These 
 researches, however valuable, are not essential to the 
 farmer or breeder. What he needs is to be able to judge 
 an animal by visible external signs. There are, in the 
 vegetable kingdom, positive signs by which we may rec- 
 ognize, even at the time of planting it, the vital force 
 of a tree, the form and savor of the fruit it will bear, 
 the epoch of its maturity, and the use to wiiich it may 
 be put when cut down. These qualities are recognizable 
 by the color of the bark, the tints and specks upon the 
 rind, the buds, the foliage, etc. And so it is in the 
 animal kingdom, but especially in the bovine race. 
 
 My first studies were in arboriculture, which I prac- 
 tised with my father for several years, my principal oc- 
 cupations being the trimming of trees, grafting, and 
 budding. In studying vegetables, I caught the idea 
 and an insight into the principle of classification. Thus 
 I was better prepared for my future work in the classifi- 
 cation of the bovine race, a work which no one had even 
 attempted, either theoretically or practically. My classi- 
 fication by characteristic signs includes various breeds, 
 without distinction of age or sex. Although these signs 
 have always existed, they have heretofore escaped the 
 observation of all, even of the most distinguished animal- 
 painters, and of the most eminent veterinarians. 
 
My method is destined to create an epoch, for it attacks 
 and overthrows the old prejudices and conventional ideas 
 which have been in force hitherto. It opens a new era 
 to an art in its infancy, and to a science of which even 
 the first principles have been unknown — it is necessary, 
 therefore, that I set it forth with the most elaborate 
 details. The present edition of my work, enriched by a 
 multitude of new observations, differs largely from the 
 first, in which I had limited myself to explaining the 
 characteristic signs of milk-production. In this new 
 work I embrace all which can interest and instruct the 
 buyer or owner of cattle; but the milk-product is still 
 the special object of my attention. We may say that 
 the Milch Cow is the principal source of wealth to the 
 agriculturist. I here give perfect instructions to esti- 
 mate its worth, to classify it, pronounce upon the value 
 and persistence of its milking, distinguish with exact- 
 ness the qualities which should combine in a faultless 
 animal, etc. 
 
 I have shrunk from no sacrifice of time, labor, and 
 care, to complete my work. In a subject so novel, I 
 could have no master but myself, and no book but Na- 
 ture. As I advanced in knowledge, difficulties without 
 number arose in my path, and it has only been by great 
 toil and close thought that I have succeeded in overcom- 
 ing them and reducing my ideas to lucid order. It is 
 not a treatise of natural history that I have written, but 
 simply the results of my innumerable observations, and 
 in stating these results, I use the ordinary language of 
 daily life, believing that thus I shall be better understood 
 by those to whom I address myself, and who, like myself, 
 are unfamiliar with the technicalities of science. 
 
 Compelled to create an entirely new nomenclature, and 
 to give new names to objects heretofore unknown or com- 
 pletely neglected, I reasoned thus : 
 
 If my mode of expression is clear and precise enough 
 
10 MILCH COWS. 
 
 for persons of little information, I can not doubt that it 
 ■will be so for those who are better instructed, and in 
 placing my method thus within the reach of all grades of 
 intelligence, I shall have accomplished the object which 
 I had in yiew. This method of mine is of extreme sim- 
 plicity, and whoever shall know thoroughly the escutch- 
 eons of the first order of each class, will be able to form 
 a judgment of all. 
 
 The escutcheons are ten in number: they extend, ac- 
 cording to the class, from the center of the four teats to 
 the level of the upper extremity of the vulva,* and in 
 width may reach from the middle of the hinder surface 
 of one thigh to that of the other. According to their 
 form and configuration, the escutcheons distinguish the 
 ten families which together comjDOse my classification — 
 this is the simple expression of a system which has been 
 represented as so complicated. 
 
 A special figure appended to each class, serves to desig- 
 nate the ^^ bastards." Each of the classes or families is 
 characterized by an escutcheon of definite form, always 
 preserving that form, but variable in its superficial di- 
 mensions. This surface might be measured by square 
 centimetres,! but that would be too complicated for prac- 
 tical use, as it is modified by the general size of the 
 animal. In my system it is measured by its natural 
 boundaries, which are the houghs, the inner surface of 
 the thighs, and the vulva. This surface of the escutch- 
 eon, of variable extent, allows me to divide each class or 
 family into six orders, to each of which I assign — taking 
 also the size of the animal into consideration — the quan- 
 tity, quality, and persistence of its milk, as indicated by 
 
 * The portion of the female generative organs visible externally. 
 
 + The hundredth part of a metre, the French standard measure of 
 length. It is about two-fifths of an inch, or accurately .39371 of an 
 inch. In the translation its equivalent is given in inches and decimal 
 parts of an inch. 
 
THE author's account OF HIS DISCOVERY. 11 
 
 the characteristic features. The escutcheon of the first 
 order is most amply developed, and its indications are 
 therefore the best. That of each of the five following 
 orders resembles in pattern the first, but on a reduced 
 scale. I have added to this new edition : — 
 
 1. Two new classes, subdivided also into six orders. 
 
 2. Two varieties of escutcheons having certain points 
 of similarity with the others. 
 
 3. The classification of bulls intended for propagation. 
 These three additions complete and generalize my 
 
 system. The new forms of escutcheons were known to 
 me at the time of the publication of my first edition, 
 but they were of such rare occurrence in the breeds 
 which I had then studied, that I thought it unnecessary 
 to introduce them. Since that time, however, I have 
 discovered in my numerous journeys in France and 
 abroad, that there are breeds in which they occur more 
 frequently, and I have therefore assigned them their 
 proper places in my classification. As for the two new 
 varieties of escutcheons, they are added as a sort of ap- 
 pendix, and show the results of crossings between two 
 classes. 
 
 In the first edition of this work I had divided each 
 class into eight orders. These I still retain; but, as the 
 seventh and eighth are of rare occurrence, I place them 
 by themselves outside of my regular classification, which 
 I thus simplify. After fully describing and classifying 
 the ^^free" cows (those whose milk continues after a 
 new impregnation), I pass to the bastards, or those which, 
 while perfectly resembling the others in form and color, 
 have the essential difference that they lose their milk as 
 soon as they are again with calf. The signs by which 
 these bastards may be distinguished, I have indicated 
 with the utmost precision. 
 
 After the bastards, follows a chapter on bulls. In 
 this I have reduced the orders to three: — good, medium, 
 
12 zvriLCH cows. 
 
 and bad— these terms liaying reference to the ability of 
 the animal to beget a progeny of good milking qualities. 
 The same signs, with certain modifications, which in 
 the cow denote a good milker, in the bull denote the 
 capacity to beget good milkers. 
 
 Although the classification has special reference to the 
 milking or reproductive qualities of the animal, yet it is 
 important to take iuto consideration all those other qual- 
 ities which it may possess, and should possess, to be of a 
 faultless organization. In all the breeds, cows of the 
 first and second orders of each class, will give a greater 
 quantity of milk than cows of the lower orders, under 
 similar circumstances. To know the absolute milk pro- 
 duction of any cow, it is necessary to know v\-hat is the 
 usual food of cattle in the region to which it belongs, 
 and this known, by following the indications of the es- 
 cutcheon, tbe daily yield of any cow of that locality can 
 be closely estimated. 
 
 A cow, to give her maximum of milk, should be neither 
 too fat nor too lean. If the cow be lean and under-fed 
 at the time of calving, her yield of milk will be impaired, 
 and though more generous diet may restore her strength, 
 she will not recover her full flow of milk until a second 
 calviDg. 
 
 A large milker, however disposed to fatten, and how- 
 ever fat she may be at the time of calving, becomes lean 
 fifteen or twenty days after the birth of her calf. The 
 periods of rutting are also further apart with her than 
 with poor milkers, as her vital powers are more enfeebled 
 by the hesLXj strain upon them. 
 
 A milch cow may be compared to a fruit tree, which 
 bears more fruit some years than others. When the sap 
 tends strongly to the production of fruit, the growth of 
 the wood is almost stationary. When, on the contrary, 
 the tree bears but little fruit, the sap tends to the increase 
 of the wood, and then, after a longer or shorter rest, the 
 
THE author's account OF HIS DISCOVEET. 13 
 
 production of fruit is increased. In the same way it is 
 seldom that a cow keeps the same yield for three consecu- 
 tive years; her food sometimes tending to increase her 
 bulk and fat, at the expense of the milk, and at other 
 times going almost entirely to the milk i)roduction. 
 These variations may depend upon differences of the 
 seasons, and their effect upon the plants and herbage up- 
 on which the cows feed. 
 
 Cows reared in fine pastures will exceed the product 
 which I have assigned to their class and order, while 
 those in poor or marshy pastures will fall short of it, un- 
 less the deficiency be supplied by generous feeding in the 
 stable. The effect of these differences is so great, that 
 cows which, in rich pastures, or abundantly fed, will give 
 from 20 to 25 litres of milk daily, transported to poor 
 pastures will have their yield diminished one-half. 
 
 My readers will therefore understand that m the esti- 
 mates of my classification, I do not pretend to give rig- 
 orous and absolute figures, but only an approximate 
 quantity for each class and order, founded on an average 
 of various breeds and localities. I will also mention here, 
 that in the approximate weight which I assign to animals 
 in that part of my work which treats of the fattening 
 of beeves, etc., I follow the usual custom, and refer to 
 the carcass, cleared of head, feet, hide, intestines, etc. 
 In estimating the weight on the hoof, the figures would 
 be greatly increased, sometimes even doubled. 
 
 The significance of the escutcheon, or figures formed 
 by a reversal of the direction of the hair, has hitherto es- 
 caped all observers, even those most interested in know- 
 ing it. Indeed, the effect produced by this change of 
 direction, is not glaringly conspicuous: it is a mere dif- 
 ference of shade or lustre, between the escutcheon, and 
 the hair surrounding it. The hair of the escutcheon is 
 shorter, finer, softer and more silky, and at the first 
 glance appears as if freshly shaven. 
 
14 MILCH COWS. 
 
 All animals of the bovine race, domesticated or wild, 
 are marked with an escutcheon of some form, and this 
 characteristic sign is transmitted from parent to offspring. 
 
 I have taken no account of that part of the escutcheon 
 which lies under the belly towards the navel, the part 
 lying on the udder and between the haunches, which is 
 always visible when the animal is standing, being suffi- 
 cient for all purposes. But to see the escutcheons in all 
 the development which is given them in my figures, the 
 udder of the animal must be thoroughly distended with 
 milk, so that the hind legs are widely separated. In 
 this way the escutcheon is shown as if the skin were 
 stretched out on a flat surface, and all the parts exposed 
 which are hidden in the folds of the udder and thighs. 
 
 To get a perfect view of the escutcheon, the observer 
 should stand behind the animal and make it take several 
 steps forward, that the movement may bring all the parts 
 successively into view. We may also, by brushing 
 the hair downwards with the hand, bring out more 
 directly its form and dimensions. 
 
 Though my method may seem to be complicated at 
 first, it really is not so, it can be mastered with little 
 trouble. Its whole nomenclature consists of three terms, 
 and its whole mystery in recognizing the forms which 
 these terms designate. These terms are ^'escutcheons," 
 ^'ascending feathers," and '^^ descending feathers," and 
 when the student know^s thoroughly these signs and 
 their significance, he understands my method as well as 
 I do myself. 
 
 The feathers, as will be seen, share with the form of 
 the escutcheon in distinguishing the orders, they multiply 
 the subdivisions, and seem to render my system more 
 complicated; but as they have incontestable and impor- 
 tant value, I could not omit them. 
 
 If on certain animals, the form and size of the charac- 
 teristic signs should not seem to correspond exactly with 
 
THE author's account OF HIS DISCOVERY. 15 
 
 any of my figures, but to be intermediate, as it were, be- 
 t7/een two classes, the observer should note the class and 
 order to which they approach most nearly, and from that 
 make a probable estimate. 
 
 Beauty of form represents to me only an ideality, and 
 though it deserves to be considered, it is only as an ac- 
 cessory, and of no value in estimating the yield of milk. 
 I have, however, not neglected to treat of those features 
 which characterize a regular and beautiful form. I also 
 speak of the mode of recognizing the age of an animal by 
 the teeth and by the horns. 
 
 May this work, the fruit of my life's experience, justify 
 the honor which has been done me by the numerous agri- 
 cultural societies who have conferred membership upon 
 me, and by the government, which has borne part of the 
 expense of this edition, with the two-fold object of en- 
 couraging me in my work, and of facilitating the dis- 
 semination of my method. 
 
BOOK I 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ScMMART.— The bovine race.— The bovine species in general. —Bastards. 
 —Utility of the method, and the characteristic signs on which it 
 depends. — Color of animals. — Influence of climate.— Purchase of 
 Cows and Heifers. — Importance of avoiding injudicious crossings. 
 — Form of the animal does not necessarily influence the yield of 
 milk.— Conformation of Bulls.— Conformation of Cows. 
 
 THE BOVINE RACE. 
 
 In this race of animals the farmer finds his most valu- 
 able resources. In many countries the cow is man's 
 assistant in the labors of the field; while everywhere, 
 among rich and poor, milk forms a staple article of food, 
 and of all domesticated creatures, she is to-day the most 
 indispensable to the human race. Many naturalists have 
 left us valuable treatises on this race of animals, and 
 especially on the milch cow; but all their writings 
 abound in anatomical and physiological descriptions. 
 They have, it is true, enriched science with useful infor- 
 mation and with original theories, but down to the pres- 
 ent time they have not revealed to us the specific charac- 
 teristics of those cows which are good milkers. They 
 have confined themselves to sundry vague and often 
 erroneous indications; my system has never been even 
 suspected by them, and for this reason my method is as 
 novel in its principles as in their application. 
 
 THE BOVINE SPECIES IN GENERAL. 
 
 Before entering upon particular descriptions, it will be 
 as well to glance at horned cattle in general, adding cer- 
 (16) 
 
THE BOVINE RACE. 17 
 
 tain new observations upon the production of milk, 
 which is the main object to which my method is directed. 
 Although scientific writers are unanimous in admitting 
 that the good or evil qualities of each parent affect the 
 offspring, this essential point has been too much neg- 
 lected in the practice of farmers and breeders, who, for 
 the most part, are not sufficiently enlightened to discern 
 their true interests. While they aim at preserving herds 
 pure, and improving them, they exercise no proper care 
 m pairing the males and females, giving a cow of one 
 class* to a bull of another, from which union results a 
 hybrid offspring, more or less inferior to its parents. 
 
 My experiments, prolonged through a period of more 
 than thirty-five years, have proved that from the union 
 of a bull of large size and of the first order, with a cow 
 of less size and lower order, there results an offspring 
 stronger and of higher order than the mother; while if 
 the superiority be in the cow, the calf will be inferior 
 to her in milking qualities. Thus a bull of the first 
 order in any class, joined with a cow of an inferior order, 
 will produce an offspring superior to the mother, and 
 this superiority of the offspring will always occur, in 
 every class, when the parents have been chosen from the 
 first order of that class. If, on the contrary, the parents 
 are chosen from different orders and classes, the result- 
 ing progeny most frequently will belong to neither the 
 class of the sire nor that of the dam. In this way arises 
 the phenomenon of bastardy, which rapidly brings about 
 the degeneration of the breed. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 Every class has its bastards, that is to say, individuals 
 which, while they resemble the higher orders of their 
 classes, differ from them in milking qualities, and it is 
 
 * What the author means by the terms class and order, will be ex- 
 plained further on. — Tr. 
 
18 MILCH COWS. 
 
 this resemblance which leads imperfect judges into con- 
 tinual errors. * 
 
 OF THE UTILITY OF THE METHOD, AND THE CHARAC- 
 TERISTIC SIGNS ON WHICH IT IS FOUNDED. 
 
 It is therefore a matter of essential importance that 
 cows shall be served by none but bulls of good quality. 
 But how are these to be distinguished? To this my 
 method gives the answer. The characteristic signs are 
 the same with males as with females. It is true that in 
 the former they are less developed; but by giving the 
 necessary attention and consulting the figures which il- 
 lustrate my classification, they can easily be recognized. 
 These characteristic signs, in all the classes and all the 
 orders, are external; they are quite independent of the 
 color of the hair or the figure of the animal. These lat- 
 ter features have nothing to do with my classification, 
 and I only use them to a limited extent as indications of 
 the probable origin of a certain type or individual, of 
 the country to which it belongs and the place of its birth. 
 
 It is certainly a great point gained to be able to distin- 
 guish at sight between a good and a bad cow; to estimate 
 the average yield of animals of different nature under 
 the same system of feeding and care; but my discoA^ery 
 goes farther than this. My method may be applied to 
 the youngest calf, and by the indications of the escutch- 
 eon alone the future milking qualities of the animal may 
 be predicted. In fact, these indications are more dis- 
 tinct on the young calf than on the adult cow, the 
 qualities to which they owe their origin being inherent 
 in the constitution of the animal. It comes into the 
 world with the signs of its good or bad nature distinctly 
 marked upon it, easily distinguishable by even an indif- 
 ferent judge, at the very day of its birth. 
 
 * The signs by which bastards may be recognized are given at the end 
 cf each class. 
 
THE BOVIKE KACE. 19 
 
 At birth the hair of the escutcheon is downy, and at 
 the margins of contact with the surrounding skin, it is 
 long and silivj. A few days after birth its figure is not 
 so plain as at the age of six weeks or two months, be- 
 cause at this time the downy or velvety hair falls off, 
 leaving the escutcheon naked. From the period of birth 
 the escutcheon develops and enlarges with the growth of 
 the body; it enables us at all times to form a judgment 
 of the animal, whether male or female, and serves as a 
 certain indication of its future value. Every animal is 
 so marked, and long experience has shown that on the 
 foetus of seven and a half or eight months — at which 
 time the skin is smooth — it is more conspicuous than in 
 the caK at full term, when the hair is long and silky, 
 and sometimes inclined to bristle. 
 
 Breeders may now, by this guide, easily separate good 
 from inferior animals; may distinguish those which are 
 fittest for fattening, and reserve for dairy purposes those 
 cows which will give the largest jield of milk and but- 
 ter. In the cities, I trust, we shall have no fraudulent 
 adulterations; but the public will be supplied with an 
 abundance of pure milk, and infants will no longer be 
 fed upon a thin or unwholesome liquid which poisons 
 the young life which it is meant to nourish. The more 
 abundant any product is, the better is its quality. If 
 the production of milk be doubled or trii3led, that of 
 butter will increase in a like proportion, and economy 
 and public health will both be the gainers. 
 
 In what I have stated there is no exaggeration. Sim- 
 ple as my method is, it is really of an importance which 
 it is not easy to over-estimate. 
 
 OF THE COLOK OF CATTLE. 
 
 As a general rule, each country has its peculiar color; 
 thus in whole provinces one sees nothing but red cows 
 
20 MILCH COWS. 
 
 of Tarious shades; in others, black; in others again, 
 white, black and white, red and white, and so forth. 
 The qualities of the cow, therefore, bear no relation to 
 the color of the hair. 
 
 INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE. 
 
 Among the causes which lead to the degeneration of 
 our breeds of cattle, must be reckoned the influences of 
 climate and feeding, for although, as a general thing, 
 the inferior breeds are more widely distributed than the 
 good, there are yet districts where good breeds are pre- 
 dominant, as for instance, Flanders, Normandy, Brit- 
 tany, AuYcrgne, and others. 
 
 Cows and heifers of good milking-breeds, transported 
 to other countries, preserve their original qualities dur- 
 ing hfe; but if these cows are crossed with the bulls of 
 the country, the offspring is inferior to the mother, 
 either in size or in milking qualities. So the owner who 
 wishes to have none but the best milkers, is obliged to 
 recruit his stock continually from abroad. 
 
 OF THE PURCHASE OF COWS AND HEIFERS. 
 
 In Prance, cows and heifers are constantly transported 
 from one province to another, but bulls rarely, and yet 
 the reproduction of the good qualities of the females, de- 
 pends entirely on these. From this neglect come unsuit- 
 able crosses, which always yield a degenerate offspring. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that there are breeds of 
 superior milkers, which, with escutcheons of similar 
 form and extent, give a far larger yield to the pail. But 
 this peld will always bear a relation to the fineness of 
 the hair and the color of the skin, even when the animals 
 are living in a country foreign to that of their origin, as 
 they still preserve their original t3rpe, and do not lose 
 
THE BOVIKE RACE, 21 
 
 their specific qualities. Hence in all places and among 
 all breeds, the first and second orders of each class are 
 those which have the highest yalue, and which must al- 
 ways be preferred. 
 
 NECESSITY OF AVOIDING INJUDICIOUS CROSSES. 
 
 It is not in the power of either the farmer or the stock- 
 raiser to change the climate of his district, but at least 
 he has the means of preventing the deterioration of his 
 breeds, in a Judicious system of crossing; and in this, by 
 the use of my method, he is secured from a multitude of 
 errors. 
 
 How frequently does it happen, that animals selected 
 for supposed good qualities, and carefully raised, turn out 
 worthless, while those have been sent to the butcher, 
 which would richly have repaid all their owner's care, 
 had he known how to distinguish them. And the infe- 
 rior cows are too often crossed with still worse bulls, so 
 that the degeneration is accelerated rather than resisted, 
 to the disappointment and heavy loss of the owner. 
 
 On what principles of selection have breeders hitherto 
 proceeded? They are guided by form for the most part, 
 and judge of the future offspring by the size, the build, 
 the origin of one or the other parents. Yet experience 
 shows that these signs are often deceptive, and we see 
 cows which present the noblest appearance, large size, 
 and perfect figure, wanting nothing, in fact, except — 
 milk. 
 
 FORM OF BULLS. 
 
 Though I have said that the form of the animal has 
 no value in determining the quantity of milk, yet I recog- 
 nize the fact that those bulls will best fulfill the wishes of 
 the breeder, which are well proportioned, the sides well 
 rounded out, the flanks narrow, the neck massive, the 
 
22 MILCH COWS. 
 
 head short and square, the ears hairy inside, which is a 
 mark of strength and spirit; the horns short, and of 
 medium thickness. 
 
 FORM OF cows. 
 
 These should be of good shape and proportion, the head 
 small and square, eyes large and bright, shoulders nar- 
 row, back level, rump well formed, haunches wide, 
 thighs round, the udder not too long, round, elastic, and 
 covered with silky down. 
 
 I have noticed that in general, those cows which have 
 four equal teats, and those which have six (four equal 
 and two smaller ones which usually yield no milk,) be- 
 long especially to the higher orders of their class, and 
 that those of inferior orders, have usually four teats, with 
 one false nipple. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE UDDER AND LACTIFEROUS VESSELS. 
 
 Summary.— The uselessness of anatomical knowledge in distinguishing 
 milking qualities. — The udder.— The cutaneous veins.— The 
 milk veins. 
 
 THE USELESSNESS OF ANATOMICAL KNOWLEDGE IN DIS- 
 TINGUISHING MILKING QUALITIES. 
 
 In a practical treatise on cows, having special reference 
 to their milking qualities, the milk-giving organs can be 
 considered only with reference to their external appear- 
 ance. All other details would be useless to the practical 
 breeder. 
 
 In two cows of the same breed, of similar size and 
 equal weight, the mammary glands may exliibit the same 
 bulk, while they are far from possessing the same capacity, 
 the difference being caused by the greater or less diversity 
 of the tissue of which they are composed. 
 
 An udder may be large and apparently distended 
 with milk, while in reality its bulk is due to a mass of 
 spongy tissue, and the yield of milk will bear no propor- 
 tion to the volume of the bag. We must look elsewhere 
 for the signs which are to guide us. 
 
 THE UDDER. 
 
 This organ is composed of the mammary glands, and 
 the sac which contains them. The glands themselves 
 should be elastic to pressure, and the skin thin, flexible, 
 and covered with a fine, silky down, mounting to the 
 upper limit of the sac, and extending below towards the 
 navel. 
 
 (23) 
 
24 MILCH COWS. 
 
 The udder is furnished with four teats, each of which 
 drains its special reservoir into which the glands empty 
 their secretions. Each of these reservoirs contains a quan- 
 tity of milk proportioned to its capacity. Although 
 the four reservoirs are closely connected, there is no 
 communication between them, as they are partitioned off 
 from each other by thin, but quite impervious membranes. 
 For this reason a cow can not be thoroughly milked by 
 one or even two teats, but all must be drawn to empty 
 the udder. 
 
 A normal udder should give an equal quantity of milk 
 from each teat. The teats themselves should be regular 
 in form, and stand from eight to ten centimetres (about 
 3 to 4 in.) apart when the udder is full. 
 
 The udder of a cow of high order, has, as a rule, but 
 four teats, though occasionally we find two false teats 
 which yield no milk. They are smaller than the proper 
 teats, and are placed behind and a little above the hinder 
 pair. On some cows four false teats are found, symmet- 
 rically placed, and very short and small. The false teats 
 are the rudiments of aborted real teats. 
 
 Cows of the same breed often present considerable dif- 
 ferences in the form of the udder, some having it round, 
 others long and pendant, others again, oblong and com- 
 pressed, or narrowed in at the middle, while there are 
 cows whose udders resemble that of the goat. In some 
 the teats are very close together, or the front teats are 
 longer and thicker than those behind, Avhile in others 
 the hinder teats are the most developed. Any irregular- 
 ity in the teats must be looked on as a deformity of 
 greater or less importance, detracting from the value of 
 the animal. 
 
 A perfect udder should be of round and regular form, 
 and of volume sufficient to extend beyond the thighs of 
 the animal, nearly as much behind as before. 
 
 Those teats which are shorter than the others, denote 
 
 M r 
 
THE UDDER Ai^D LACTIFEROUS VESSELS. 25 
 
 some interual alteration, native or acquired, in the teat 
 so dwarfed. 
 
 CUTANEOUS VEINS. 
 
 By these I mean those veins on the udder which are 
 seen lying just under the skin. Upon very plump udders 
 they are particularly conspicuous, and when the cow is 
 in full flow of milk, they branch in all directions to the 
 very top of the udder. When the animal is very lean, 
 they may be discerned near the vulva, but they can 
 rarely be seen there if the cow is in good condition. On 
 heifers or dry cows they are not apparent. 
 
 TBLE MILK-VEINS. 
 
 These have their origin in the mammary glands, and 
 run along the lower part of the flank, they extend to a 
 greater or less distance beyond the navel, with various 
 meanderings, and end near the forelegs, their extremities 
 terminating in two cavities commonly called ^''fountains," 
 the orifice of which is large enough to admit the tip of 
 the finger. In the higher orders of certain breeds these 
 veins end in a net-work of branches. Their extremities 
 are forked, one branch being shorter and thicker than 
 the other. 
 
 In some orders the extremities of these veins are about 
 ten centimetres (4 in.) apart, and the calibre of the 
 longer vessel is less than that of the other. In the lower 
 orders these vessels run straight, without sudden and 
 irregular undulations, along each side of the belly; they 
 are not bifurcated, and the pit in which they are lost is 
 smaller and shallower than in the higher orders. These 
 veins are more distinct in some cows than in others of 
 equal milking qualities. Those writers are therefore 
 wrong who attach a high importance to the size and 
 2 
 
26 MILCH COWS. 
 
 arrangement of these veins as certain indications of a 
 good or bad milker. I have seen many cows in which 
 these veins were far from distinct, which were reputed 
 the best milkers of the neighborhood; while others, 
 which had them highly developed, either gave but little 
 milk or soon went dry. I do not, of course, assert that 
 the indications of these milk-veins have no value at all. 
 I merely wish to impress the fact that we expose our- 
 selves to great errors if we take them as our sole guide 
 in judging the quality of a cow. We often find bastard 
 cows with milk-veins finely developed, and giving a large 
 yield of milk, but which become dry as soon as they are 
 pregnant. I may mention here that the milk-veins do 
 not attain their full development until the cow is five or 
 six years old, and that they are but lightly marked on 
 heifers not with calf. 
 
 I shall now proceed to demonstrate that the escutcheon 
 is the only indication that can be relied upon with confi- 
 dence at all periods of the animal's life, to show its milk- 
 giving qualities with as much certainty as if we had 
 tested them by years of observation. 
 
CHAPTEE III. 
 
 THE ESCUTCHEONS. 
 
 Summary.— Escutcheons.— Their number.— What the Escutcheon is. — 
 Its indication.— Variations and precautions. 
 
 ESCUTCHEONS. 
 
 In former times men had for their sole guides in deter- 
 mining the qualities of a cow, certain vague physical 
 signs and marks, distributed over various parts of the 
 animal, and giving indications of a very uncertain char- 
 acter. The choice of milch cattle, therefore, was very 
 hazardous, and the most skillful judges, when they saw 
 the certain application of my method, frankly admitted 
 its superiority. 
 
 The pretended signs of abundant, persistent, and rich 
 milk, are not only doubtful, but they only appear after 
 the first calving. A young animal must therefore be 
 kept three or four years before its milking qualities can 
 be known, and the choice of heifers for the dairy has 
 hitherto been scarcely more than a matter of chance, so 
 that it constantly happens that the inferior animals are 
 preserved, and those that would turn out good milkers 
 are sent to the butcher. 
 
 I affirm with confidence that with a thorough know- 
 ledge of my method, any one can distinguish with abso- 
 lute certainty, during all periods of the animal's life, 
 those cows which will give the most milk, and continue 
 to yield it the longest after another pregnancy has begun. 
 He can even predict the quality of the milk, its richness 
 or poorness in butter, etc. 
 (37) 
 
28 MILCH COWS. 
 
 The distinctive signs on which my method is founded 
 are called Escutcheons and Feathers (epts).* They exist 
 and may be seen on every animal of the bovine species, 
 without exception. They are situated on the hinder 
 part of the animal, but can not be perfectly distinguished 
 unless the animal walks a few paces, as the movement of 
 walking exhibits the lower part, which cannot be per- 
 fectly seen when it is at rest. These signs distinguish 
 the classes, or families, which differ from each other in 
 the form of the escutcheon. 
 
 I have not drawn upon the Greek or Latin language 
 for the names which I have given to these escutcheons, 
 preferring to use entirely conventional terms, which, how- 
 ever, have a certain relation to the forms they represent. 
 
 NUMBER OF ESCUTCHEONS. 
 
 From years of careful research, and innumerable ob- 
 servations on all breeds of cattle, foreign as well as 
 French, I have determined that there are ten principal 
 forms of escutcheons, each of which is easily distinguished 
 from the others. 
 
 THE ESCUTCHEON. 
 
 The surface of the escutcheon is distinguished by its 
 upward-growing hair, which takes a direction opposite 
 to that wdiicli covers the other parts of the skin. The 
 hair of the escutcheon is also distinguished by its tint, 
 which is duller than that of the other hair. The escutch- 
 eon starts from the middle of the four teats, a part of 
 its hair extending forward under the belly, in the direc- 
 tion of the navel, while the other part, beginning a little 
 above the houghs, spreads as far as the middle of the 
 hinder surface of the tliighs, ascending on the udder, 
 
 "Upis means an ear of wheat. 1 have chosen " Feather " as the best 
 single word in English to represent the form of this mark.— Tr. 
 
THE ESCUTCHEOlirS. 29 
 
 and in some classes running up as high as the top of 
 the vulva. 
 
 The form or pattern of the escutcheon indicates the 
 class to which the animal belongs, while the extent of 
 surface covered by it denotes the milk-giving capacity. 
 This extent, varying in a decreasing proportion, gives 
 rise to several orders, in which I range the members of 
 each class. The fineness of the hair of the escutcheon, 
 and the color of its skin, indicate the quantity and 
 quality of the milk. 
 
 In all the classes and orders the escutcheon is the sole 
 indicator of the internal capacity of the udder, so that 
 if the escutcheon is large, we can pronounce without 
 hesitation that the internal reservoir is large, and the 
 yield of milk will be abundant; while if the escutcheon 
 be small, the reservoir is small, and the yield of milk 
 will be small. Hence those cows which have a large 
 escutcheon, composed of fine hair, are the best milkers, 
 especially if the skin, from the inner joining of the 
 thighs to the vulva, is of a yellowish color, and if on 
 scratching it with the nail. we can detach little scales of 
 a fatty substance. Those animals in which this latter 
 characteristic is found in the skin of the switch and of 
 the inside of the ear, yield a milk very rich in butter, 
 whatever be the quantity, and whatever be the class or 
 order to which they belong. 
 
 Cows which have the skin of the escutcheon sleek, 
 white, and covered with long, sparse hairs, will give a 
 thin, serous milk; while those whose udder is covered 
 with an escutcheon of short furry hair, will give good 
 and rich milk. 
 
 VAKIATIONS AND PRECAUTIONS. 
 
 The indications of the escutcheon are often modified, 
 favorably or unfavorably, by various feathers which are 
 pretty generally met with, whose value may be judged 
 
30 MILCH COWS. 
 
 by their form, their character, their situation, and their 
 size. Except the Oval feathers, all those which encroach 
 upon the escutcheon, lessen, in greater or less degree, its 
 favorable indications. 
 
 I must also call special attention to a kind of feather 
 formed of upward-growing hair, which, by its significa- 
 tion, has a certain likeness to the escutcheon; it is situ- 
 ated on the right and left of the vulva, and its impor- 
 tance varies according to its size and figure. This 
 feather, as will be seen, serves to distinguish * ' free cows " 
 {yaclies f randies, i. e., persistent milkers,) from bastards. 
 
 By the crossing of classes the patterns of escutcheons 
 and of feathers are variously modified, as Nature is 
 always producing new differences. Crossing either im- 
 proves or impairs the breed, and its effects influence the 
 milk- giving and the reproductive functions. When the 
 pattern of the escutcheon is true and well-defined, the 
 animal always belongs to the first or second order of its 
 class. But when the escutcheon is invaded by certain 
 feathers in a portion of its surface, the animal stands one 
 or more orders lower in its class. 
 
 When the escutcheon is wider in the neighborhood of 
 the vulva than in its middle part, we must let the widen- 
 ing count against the narrowing, and obtaining thus an 
 average width, class the animal in the order which near- 
 est approaches its form and extent. 
 
 All variations in the hair of the escutcheon are feath- 
 ers, constituting an irregularity, and indicating internal 
 peculiarities which have their influence upon the secre- 
 tion of milk, and bear relations to the extent of surface 
 of the feathers. 
 
 In general, when we see in an escutcheon a feather 
 situated to the right or left of the thigh, we may know 
 that there is an alteration in the milk-vein situated below 
 it, and by feeling these vessels we shall discover that the 
 one on the side where the feather encroaches on the 
 
THE ESCUTCHEON^S. 31 
 
 escutcheon, is smaller, and terminates in a smaller cavity 
 than the other yessel, which can easily be yerified by in- 
 troducing the tip of the finger. 
 
 When a cow has reached the full term of gestation, a 
 few days before calving, the escutcheon and the feathers 
 enlarge and expand like a flower about to open. The 
 milk-yessels now enlarge, and are in a state to give the 
 maximum of milk a few days after calving, but the 
 escutcheons and feathers soon contract, and assume the 
 size which they will retain until the next calving. It has 
 been noticed that those escutcheons and feathers which 
 have a bristling surface (herisses) attain, just before 
 calving, extraordinary size, often greater by one-third 
 than the ordinary or normal dimensions. 
 
 We must therefore be careful not to judge of the yield 
 of milk by the dimensions which the escutcheon assumes 
 at this period, as it would lead us to false conclusions. 
 This great increase in size is due to the functional excite- 
 ment of the mJlk-vessels, and the engorgement of the 
 mammary glands; it is more marked in some cows than 
 others, and is always less in the lower orders. 
 
 The characteristic signs are indicated by letters in the 
 classification which I shall presently give, in which all 
 the classes and orders are represented with their escutch- 
 eons and feathers, drawn from nature, and with their 
 distinguishing variations of form and extent. 
 
 Though there is no difiiculty in discerning the escutch- 
 eons and feathers on animals of any age and in any con- 
 dition, yet they are more conspicuous on fat animals 
 than on lean ones. When they are thickly covered with 
 fine velvety down, it is not so easy to determine their 
 precise outline without close inspection. This character- 
 istic, however, is a favorable mark. 
 
 It sometimes happens, especially in the case of the 
 offspring of parents of different classes, that two forms 
 of escutcheon modify or interpenetrate each other. The 
 
32 MILCH COWS. 
 
 primitive type then disappears, and the determination 
 becomes more difficult: we must seek in the two classes 
 to which the parents belong, the orders to which the 
 mixed escutcheon approaches most nearly in form and 
 dimensions, and in this way we can arrive at an approxi- 
 mate estimate. 
 
 If we find an escutcheon whose size indicates a cow of 
 the first order, and this escutcheon is accompanied by 
 one or more feathers of upward-growing or downward- 
 growing hair, like those which distinguish the bastards, 
 as this indicates a certain degeneration, the quantity of 
 milk may remain the same, but its i^ersistence will be 
 lessened. According to the nature of these feathers, we 
 may have to go one or more orders lower in the class to 
 determine how long the cow will continue to give milk 
 during her next pregnancy. 
 
 On the other hand, if an escutcheon of small dimen- 
 sions or lower order has the feathers and the fineness of 
 hair which characterize cows of superior quality or higher 
 order, the qaantity of milk will not be increased, but it 
 will continue longer during pregnancy, and in this re- 
 spect the cow^ of lower order apj^roaches in value an 
 animal of higher order. 
 
 General Rule. — When the marks of an inferior 
 order are superimposed on those of a superior, they indi- 
 cate a real degeneration; when, on the contrary, the 
 signs designating a sui^erior order are added to those 
 characterizing an inferior, they announce a decided 
 improvement. 
 
 Those marks or notches in the escutcheon, in which 
 its ascending is replaced by descending hair, are always 
 the indication of a deterioration proportioned to the size 
 of these notches, and in this case we must rank the cow 
 one or more orders lower in her class to estimate her 
 real value. The same remark applies to breaks in the 
 feathers, caused by a reversal of the hair, and we must 
 
THE ESCUTCHEO^S'S. 33 
 
 take them into account, as they have a marked reference 
 to the quantity and persistence of the milk. 
 
 Each of the ten escutcheons which I distinguish, repre- 
 sents a class or family. The first class I term "Flan- 
 drine." Second, ''Left-hand Flandrine." Third, ''Sel- 
 vedge." Fourth, "Curveline." Fifth, "Bicorn." Sixth, 
 ''Double-Selvedge." Seventh, "Demijohn." Eighth, 
 "Square." Ninth, "Limousine." Tenth, "Carre- 
 sine." 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE FEATHERS. 
 
 Summary.— The Feathers.— Nomenclature.— Oval Feather.— Buttock 
 Feather.— Babine Feather.— Vulvous Feather.- Bastard Feather.— 
 Thigh Feather.— Dart Feather. 
 
 THE FEATHERS. 
 
 These are of two kinds: those of upward-growing 
 hair, which I call ^'^ ascending feathers." and those of 
 downward-growing hair, which I call ^^ descending." 
 The ascending feathers are mere traces in the form of 
 furrows, cutting through the descending hair; they 
 form figures more or less elongated and developed, to the 
 right and left of the vulva, and below it. The descend- 
 ing feathers form designs on the ascending hair of the 
 escutcheon, they have various forms, and especially the 
 Oval. They are mostly situated at the lower part of the 
 udder, a little above the hinder teats. 
 
 Each of these feathers, shai'ply drawn by nature, has, 
 in the form and direction of its hair, a well-defined value 
 and significance. 
 
 The feathers are seven in number, of which five are 
 on the escutcheon, and two outside of it. Their signifi- 
 cance and importance vary with their extent, the posi- 
 tion which they occupy, and the direction of their hair. 
 I had marked these signs in the figures of my first classi- 
 fication, but had not then given them any denomination. 
 Now I have distinguished them by names. 
 
 As I have said above, they are seven in number, 1, the 
 "Oval feather." 2, the ^^ Buttock feather." 3, the "Ba- 
 (34) 
 
THE FEATHEES. 
 
 35 
 
 bine feather." 4, the ^'Vulvous feather." 5, the "Bas- 
 tard feather." 6, the ^^ Thigh feather." 7, the "Daj-t 
 feather." 
 
 The normal position of these feathers, as of the es- 
 cutcheon, is on the hinder part of the animal, either on 
 one side, or between the milk producing organs, and 
 those of generation. 
 
 No. 1.— OVAL FEATHER. 
 
 This feather is in the escutcheon, on each side of the 
 hinder part of the udder, a little above the two hinder 
 teats; it has an oval form; its hair, fine and '^descend- 
 
 5m 
 
 J 
 
 V. 
 
 THE FEATHEES. 
 
 ing," is distinguished by its tint, and a whiter lustre 
 than that of the escutcheon, which is '* ascending." 
 This feather, of greater or less extent, may be found in 
 any of the classes or orders. 
 
 In determining the quantity of milk, this feather is of 
 but little importance. Some breeds have the character- 
 istics of the first orders, without the Oval feather, and 
 are none the less excellent milkers. But as a general 
 rule, it is seldom that cows of the higher orders are 
 without it. 
 
 If these feathers are small, regular in form, and com- 
 posed of very fine hair, they are usually an excellent 
 
36 MILCH COWS. 
 
 sign, but if large, of irregular shape, and of long and 
 coarse hair, they are a mark of inferior quality. 
 
 No. 2.— BUTTOCK FEATHER. 
 
 This feather is outside of the escutcheon, on the but- 
 tock of the animal, to the right and left of the vulva, to 
 which it adheres a little at the top. Its hair is ascending, 
 and its proportions are usually from five to seven centi- 
 metres (2 to 3 in.) in length, by a centimetre (A in.) in 
 breadth. 
 
 When the ^^ Buttock feather "does not exceed these 
 proportions, and is covered with a fine silky hair, it indi- 
 cates the continuance of milk during pregnancy. When 
 it is larger, and covered with coarse and bristling 
 hair, it is not only a mark of inferiority, but indicates 
 the cessation of the milk-flow at an earlier or later period 
 of gestation. These feathers are found on all classes ex- 
 cept the first, as may be seen in the figures illustrating 
 my classification. 
 
 No. 3.-BABINE FEATHER. 
 
 This feather is rarely met with except in the first two 
 classes. Its place is on the escutcheon, where it forms a 
 vertical streak below the vulva, to the right or left, but 
 most frequently to the left, adhering to the vulva by its 
 upper extremity. It is often found on both sides at 
 once. It is formed of descending hair, and is distin- 
 guished by a more shining, or whiter tint than the as- 
 cending hair of the escutcheon. Its form is elongated, 
 and its dimensions are variable, but usually from four to 
 five centimetres (1.5 to 2 in.) in length, and five to six 
 millimetres (0.2 to 0.3 in.) in breadth. 
 
 The presence of this feather is a mark of degeneration. 
 It indicates a falling-off of milk before and during preg 
 
THE FEATHERS. 37 
 
 nancy, and this falling-off will be greater in proportion 
 to the size of the feather, and the coarseness of its hair. 
 
 No. 4.— VULVOUS FEATHER. 
 
 This is only found in the first class. It is situated in 
 the escutcheon, just beneath the vulva, the lower part of 
 which it encloses. Its form, is usually round at the 
 lower part, but sometimes forked. Its dimensions are 
 two centimetres (0.8 in.) in length, by three (1.2 in.) in 
 breadth. Its hair is descending, and it may be distin- 
 guished at some distance by its whitish gloss. It indi- 
 cates a yield of milk less than the normal quantity, es- 
 pecially when it is of larger dimensions than those given, 
 and when its hair is coarse and sparse. 
 
 No. 5.— BASTARD FEATHER. 
 
 The Bastard feather presents the form of an egg. Its 
 surface is about ten centimetres (4 in. ) in length, by five 
 to eight (2 to 3 in. ) in breadth. Its place is in the es- 
 cutcheon, about twenty centimetres below the vulva. Its 
 descending hair has a whiter gloss than that of the es- 
 cutcheon around it, which is usually of a somewhat rosy 
 tint. 
 
 This feather is found only in the first class (Flandrine,) 
 and denotes a decided falling-off of milk within a few 
 days after impregnation. This falling-off is less con- 
 siderable when the Bastard feather is small, narrow, and 
 covered with finer hair, but it surely occurs as the ani- 
 mal advances in pregnancy. [See cut on page 50.] 
 
 No. 6.— THIGH FEATHER. 
 
 This is usually found on the interior surface of the 
 lowe*r part of the thigh. It encroaches on the escutcheon; 
 
38 MILCH COWS. 
 
 its descending hair forming a re-entering angle, the point 
 of which, sharp or round, extends upon the udder. It 
 is sometimes seen on both thighs, in which case its form 
 is not always regular, but its most usual j^lace is on the 
 right thigh only. 
 
 This feather has a whiter gloss than the ascending hair 
 of the escutcheon. It indicates a defect in the secretion 
 of the mammary glands, and a diminution of milk pro- 
 portioned to its size. It is found in all the classes and 
 orders. As it encroaches upon the escutcheon, it dimin- 
 ishes the surface of the latter in a certain proportion, of 
 which account must be taken in estimating the yield of 
 the cow, as it is equivalent to a descent of one or more 
 orders. 
 
 No. 7.— DART FEATHER. 
 
 This feather is distinguished by ascending hair of a 
 soft and silky texture. It resembles a dart or arrow, 
 with the point downward. It starts at about ten centi- 
 metres (4 in.) above the escutcheon, and reaches up to 
 the vulva, to whicli it is attached by a vertical line along 
 the juncture of the buttocks. Its gi-eatest breadth, at the 
 orifice of the vulva, is about 2 centimetres (0.8 in.). 
 
 This feather, which indicates the quantity and the 
 persistence of the milk, is but rarely met with, and only 
 in those classes in which the escutcheon does not extend 
 to the vulva. It is represented in a figure placed outside 
 of the classification. 
 
 Having now explained the escutcheons and the feath- 
 ers, that is, all of the signs which indicate milk-giving 
 qualities, I pass to the general classification. This is the 
 practical part of my method, and I have done my best 
 to make it clear and precise, that all may find it easy to 
 apply it. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 Summary.— Introduction.— Class of Flandrines.— Bastards of this class. 
 — Left-hand Flandrines. — Bastards. — Selvedge class. — Bastards. — 
 Curveline class. — Bastards. — Bicorn class. — Bastards. — Double- 
 Selvedge class. — Bastards. — Demijohn class. — Bastards.— Square 
 class. — Bastards. — Limousine class. — Bastards. — Carresine class. — 
 Bastards.— Synoptic table of milk product.— Escutcheons omit- 
 ted in the classification, forming the seventh and eighth orders 
 of each class.— Two crossed escutcheons. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In studying the classification laid down in this chapter, 
 the reader will observe that animals of the same breed 
 and orders give nearly the same amount of milk, to 
 whatever class they belong. But we must, of course, take 
 into account the size of the animal, whether large, me- 
 dium, or small, and of its weight. 
 
 Nature herself has established the escutcheons; what 
 I have done is to discover their signification and their 
 value. I have divided them into classes and orders cor- 
 responding to their figure and dimensions. Had I not 
 proceeded in this manner, the application of my method 
 would have been very difficult. The reader would have 
 been confused by the multiplicity of forms, and the rela- 
 tions of size would have escaped notice, or given very 
 uncertain results. But it must be borne in mind, once 
 for all, that in numbering the classes, first, second, etc., 
 I do not mean thereby to indicate their relative degrees 
 of merit, though it is true that in point of yield of milk 
 there is some difference. The Flandrines, for examj)le, 
 as a class, seem to take the lead; yet this difference is too 
 slight to justify our undervaluing the other classes. All 
 cows of the first order, to whatever class they belong, 
 may be considered as about equal in quality. 
 
 In a word, the essential point, in reference both to the 
 (39) 
 
40 MILCH COWS. 
 
 yield of milk and to the reproduction, is the surface- 
 extent of the escutcheon. But this extent can not be 
 appreciated with sufficient exactness, unless we take into 
 account the form of the escutcheon, co-ordinate it with 
 similar forms, and separate it from the dissimilar. 
 For this reason my classification is absolutely necessary 
 for the proper application of my system. In breeding, 
 the distinction of classes is of still more importance, as 
 there is always an advantage in pairing those animals 
 which have the same pattern of escutcheon. 
 
 I might have been asked to fix some positive measure 
 of the surface of the escutcheon, but this I have not at- 
 tempted, nor would it have been possible, as this surface 
 continually varies with the size, and the fatness or lean- 
 ness of the animal. But in carefully designating, as I 
 have done, the distances from the outside of the thighs, 
 the houghs, the vulva, etc., to which the margins of the 
 escutcheon should reach — fixing thus the limits of its 
 extreme points — I give the means of distinguishing with 
 precision the order of each. 
 
 Those who desire to avoid all mistakes, must do exactly 
 as I do: that is, must descend regularly from order to 
 order of my classification, if they neglect the established 
 orders, and think it unnecessary to follow the regular 
 gradation, they will soon find themselves deceived. 
 
 In this new edition of my work, cows are divided into 
 ten classes or families, and each class with six orders. 
 The figures of each order comprise the three degrees of 
 size or stature of each animal. The difference of size 
 does not in any way increase the number of orders, or of 
 classes, for the form of escutcheon is the same on a 
 large animal as a small one, but it will readily be con- 
 ceived that a cow of large bulk will give more milk, 
 other things being equal, and have greater weight than a 
 small one. If I have made the distinction, it is only 
 with reference to the yield and the weight, and does not 
 
CLASSIIICATION". 41 
 
 affect tlie difference of the orders. Upon mature reflec- 
 tion I have determined, for the sake of simplicity, to re- 
 move from my classification the last two orders of each 
 class. I do this because cows of these two orders are 
 rarely met with; but in order that my work may be com- 
 plete, I place the figures of these orders as an appendix 
 to my regular classification, where they may be found by 
 any one who may chance to meet with animals so marked. 
 
 Each class, therefore, consists of six "'free" (or le- 
 gitimate) orders. The bastards of each class are figured 
 after the orders of their class, and may be recognized by 
 their characteristic feathers. Their escutcheons being 
 the same as those of ''free" cows, I might have avoided 
 the repetition, but as my object is to fix the forms firmly 
 in the memory, I prefer repeating them to leaving any 
 chance of misunderstanding. 
 
 And now I repeat, finally, to impress it on the mem- 
 ory, that all cows of every description, ''free," or bas- 
 tard, and all bulls, whatever their size, belong to one or 
 other of the orders of my ten classes or families. Each class 
 has its peculiar escutcheon, and this form is found, with 
 simple modifications of size, in all the orders of the class. 
 
 The classes or families of my classification, distin- 
 guished by their escutcheons, are as follows: 
 
 First Class Elandrine. 
 
 Second Class Left-hand Elandrine. 
 
 Third Class Selvedge. 
 
 Fourth Class ..... Curveline. 
 
 Fifth Class Bicorn. 
 
 Sixth Class Double Selvedge. 
 
 Seventh Class .... Demijohn. 
 
 Eighth Class Square. 
 
 Ninth Class Limousine. 
 
 Tenth Class Carresine. 
 
 To give greater clearness to this work, I have illus- 
 
42 MILCH COWS. 
 
 trated it with figures, by the aid of which it will be easy 
 to recognize the class, the order, and the value of each 
 cow, and consequently to estimate the quantity of its 
 daily yield, and the length of time its full flow of milk 
 will continue after pregnancy. 
 
 Frequent experiments have shown that the quantity 
 and persistence do not always exactly correspond with 
 the indications, for the reason that differences of climate, 
 of feeding, and of the season, necessarily have more or 
 less favorable or unfavorable influence. But in all cases, 
 the cows of the first orders are the best and most pro- 
 ductive, and the yield of milk diminishes in a regular 
 degree from the highest order to the lowest. Cows of 
 the seventh and eighth orders, which I have placed 
 outside of my classification, yield scarcely any milk 
 at all. 
 
 Before entering upon a minute description of each 
 class, I will recall what has before been said, that every 
 class has its bastards; that is to say, cows which, al- 
 though exactly resembling the others in form, size, and 
 color, differ from them in their }deld of milk. This re- 
 semblance gives rise to many errors. It is therefore of 
 great importance to know the characteristic marks by 
 which the bastards of each class can be recognized. 
 
 I have given the name of bastards to those cows which, 
 on becoming again impregnated, lose their milk imme- 
 diately, or in a short time. They are found in all classes 
 and orders: sometimes they are copious milkers, and 
 their sudden loss of milk after impregnation, has been 
 referred to various causes, none of which is correct. 
 This loss is in no wise dependent upon the will of the 
 animal, as many persons suppose, but is an inborn pecu- 
 liarity of its constitution. The feathers, or characteristic 
 marks by which bastards may be distinguished in all the 
 classes and orders, are described and figured in their 
 proper places. 
 
CLASSIFICATIOK. 43 
 
 As a general rule, these bastards are very fertile, con- 
 ceiving at the first service of the bull, and if at this time 
 the bastard is suckling a calf, it often happens that 
 she can not supply milk enough for its nourishment. 
 This must be looked to, and the calf promptly weaned, 
 or suckled by another cow. In other respects, such as 
 richness or poorness, abundance or deficiency of milk, 
 the bastards vary, as do the free cows of the different 
 classes and orders. 
 
 Cows in general give their maximum of milk in the 
 eight days immediately after calving, but the milk dur- 
 ing this period is not suited for human consumption. 
 After this time there is some diminution in its flow, and 
 the normal quantity being established, is maintained un- 
 til a new impregnation, after which the flow diminishes 
 in all the classes and orders, but more or less according 
 to the class and order, as will be explained more fully. 
 
 As I have said, in my introduction, the development 
 which I have given to the escutcheons in the engraved 
 figures, results from my representing them as so many 
 plane surfaces, as if spread out flat. In this way only 
 could the full extent be shown; as it is never shown 
 fully in the animal at rest, and even when the cow is 
 walking, though that movement exhibits it more fuUy, 
 it still is not entirely displayed. 
 
 FIRST CLASS. -FLA NDRINES. 
 
 The reader has already been informed that my termin- 
 ology is by no means scientific or etymological, the names 
 I have chosen for my classes are purely arbitrary. I have 
 called the cows of the first class, which comprises the 
 best animals in our provinces, Flandrines, because the 
 Flanders breed of cows, remarkable for its excellent 
 qualities, usually possesses the signs of this class. The 
 Flandrines are the most abundant milkers of all, they 
 
44 MILCH COWS. 
 
 are found in all breeds, but are of rare occurrence in 
 some of our provinces. Every order of this class, as of 
 the others, has certain particular differences in the gen- 
 eral characters of the class, and gives a yield varying 
 according to the degrees which I shall indicate. I call 
 large cows, those which weigh from three hundred to 
 three hundred and fifty kilogrammes (say 700 to 800 
 lbs.). Medium cows, those weighing from two hundred 
 to two hundred and fifty kilogrammes (say 450 to 550 
 lbs.). Small cows, those weighing from one hundred 
 to one hundred and fifty kilogrammes (say 225 to 325 lbs.). 
 
 LARGE cows. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of the first order of Flandrines, 
 of large size, give, when in full flow of milk, twenty- 
 four litres (25 quarts) daily, up to the time of a new im- 
 pregnation. From that time there is a gradual diminu- 
 tion; but they continue milking throughout the whole 
 period of their pregnancy, and if constantly milked, 
 will never go dry. This, however, should not be done, 
 as it is important that they should have a rest of a month 
 or six weeks before calving. Cows of this order, in addi- 
 tion to the characteristic form of the escutcheon, have a 
 fine elastic udder, covered with a light down, which, 
 starting from the middle of the four teats, ascends up 
 the whole surface of the hind part of the animal. This 
 ascending hair also extends upon the inner side of the 
 thighs, just above the houghs, and expands to right and 
 left to the points marked a, a, narrowing in again as it 
 ascends to the points h, h, each of which is about ten 
 centimetres (4 in.) from the corresponding side of 
 the vulva. They usually have above the two hinder 
 teats two small Oval feathers of descending hair, marked 
 e, e, each of which is about three centimetres (1.2 in.) 
 wide, and eight or nine (3.2 or 3.6 in.) long. These 
 
CLASSIFICATION^. 45 
 
 feathers are distinguished by a whiter-colored hair than 
 that of the escutcheon. The first order of this class 
 has, moreover, the inside and lower part of the thighs 
 of a yellowish or nankeen color, speckled with blackish 
 and reddish patches. If we scratch the skin of this 
 part, we detach small scales, from which falls a dust like 
 fine bran, and this, in all the classes, is one of the char- 
 acteristics denoting a milk rich in bntter. All cows hav- 
 ing an escutcheon of the form which characterizes the 
 first class, belong to that class, whatever otherwise may 
 
 be the dimensions of their escutcheon, their bulk, color, 
 or breed. 
 
 At the risk of wearisome repetition, I will once more 
 remind the reader that the escutcheons, as shown in my 
 figures, are not as they are seen in any ordinary posture 
 of the animal, but spread out as if the skin were removed 
 and extended over a plane surface, so as to exhibit their 
 full size and configuration. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this order in full milking will 
 give twenty litres (21 quarts) of milk a day, and will 
 continue this quantity until they are seven months gone 
 
46 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 with calf. The marks of this order perfectly coincide 
 with those of the first order, and I have indicated them 
 by the same letters. They have, besides, a little feather 
 of descending hair, which I call the, 
 ^'Babine Feather," placed below 
 and to one side of the vulva, or often 
 on both sides at once. This feather 
 is indicated by the letter/. It meas- 
 ures about six centimetres (2.4 in.) 
 in length, by about one (0.4 in.) 
 in breadth. It is distinguished by 
 very short hair, and indicates an 
 inferiority in the daily milking 
 amounting to two or even three 
 litres (2 or 3 quarts). This order has but a single Oval 
 feather above the teats, measuring six centimetres (2.4 
 in.) in length, by three (1.2 in.) in breadth. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this order give sixteen litres 
 (17 quarts) of milk daily, and continue milking until 
 they are six months gone with calf. The form of the 
 escutcheon is similar to that of the preceding order, but 
 narrower; and as another difier- 
 ence, it has a feather which I call 
 the '^Vulvous Feather," forming a 
 semicircle of descending hair under 
 the vulva, extending upwards, so as 
 to inclose it in a fork, spreading 
 from two to three centimetres (0.8 
 to 1.2 in.) with a length of about 
 the same. This mark is indicated 
 by the letter c; it is distinguished 
 by a whiter color than the ascend- 
 ing hair. This order has sometimes an Oval feather 
 to the left, above the hinder teats. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of the fourth order, when in 
 
CLASSiriCATIOJS". 
 
 47 
 
 full milking, give twelve litres (12'/, quarts) daily, and 
 continue this quantity until they are five months gone 
 with calf. The escutcheon of this order differs from the 
 preceding by the smaller surface of 
 the ascending hair. The points a, a, 
 are withdrawn more within the 
 thighs. The points b, h, are nearer 
 the vulva, and the Vulvous feather 
 of descending hair is found embrac- 
 ing the vulva, with a form often 
 rounded at the base, and sometimes 
 terminating in a fork. This feather 
 is larger than that in the preceding 
 order, marked c, and it is also dis- 
 tinguished by hair of still whiter lustre. There is no 
 Oval feather to the right of the escutcheon, but there 
 is a ^^ Thigh feather," marked g. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of the fifth order give nine litres 
 (^Vq quarts) of milk daily, and continue milking until 
 four months gone with calf. The escutcheon of this 
 order is a little more narrowed in at the points a, a, and 
 h, h, than in the preceding order; 
 beneath the vulva is a feather form- 
 ing a line of descending hair of 
 about fifteen centimetres (6 in.) 
 long, by three (1.2 in.) wide, indi- 
 cated on the figure by the letter c. 
 To the right is a Thigh feather of 
 descending hair, which encroaches 
 on the escutcheon in the part which 
 is hidden between the thighs. It is 
 about fifteen centimetres (6 in.) 
 deep, by eight or ten (3.2 or 4 in.) wide, and is indicated 
 by the letter g. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order give six litres (6 
 quarts) of milk daily, and continue this quantity until 
 
48 MILCH COWS. 
 
 they are three months gone with calf. The escutcheon is 
 still more contracted at the points a, a, than in the pre- 
 ceding order, and the Vulvous feather is larger. Some- 
 times two Thigh feathers of descend- 
 ing hair are found, making two 
 notches in the escutcheon. The 
 feathers found in this escutcheon 
 distinguish the degenerate yarieties. 
 In the preceding descriptions I 
 have spoken of animals of large size, 
 and to those alone do the statements 
 of milk-yield apply. For animals of 
 less size there is no need that I 
 should describe the escutcheons and 
 feathers, those signs being the same on large or small 
 animals, but I will give in condensed form a statement 
 of the daily yield of milk, and its continuance after 
 impregnation. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 Fird Order. — Cows of this order, in full milking, 
 give nineteen litres (20 quarts) daily, and continue it, 
 like those of large size, during the whole period of ges- 
 tation. They may be milked down to the very time of 
 their calving. On all these points they exactly resemble 
 those of large size. 
 
 Second Order. — These give fifteen litres (IG quarts) of 
 milk daily, and contimie it until seven months gone with 
 calf. 
 
 Third Order.— Tv^clxe litres (12y, quarts) of milk 
 daily, continued until six months gone with calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Nine litres (9'/^ quarts) dail}', until 
 five months gone with calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Six litres (6 quarts) daily, until four 
 months gone with calf. 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 49 
 
 Sixth Order. — Three litres (3 quarts) daily, until three 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of small size of the first order 
 give, when in full flow of milk, fourteen litres (15 
 quarts) daily, and keep it up for eight months. 
 
 Second Order. — Eleven litres (liy^ quarts) daily, until 
 seven months gone with calf. 
 
 Third Order. — Eight litres (8 quarts) daily, until six 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Six litres (6 quarts) daily, until five 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Three litres (3 quarts) daily, until four 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — One litre (1 quart) daily, until three 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 BASTARDS BELONGING TO THE CLASS OF FLANDRINES. 
 
 To preserve the connection of my arrangement, I ap- 
 pend to each class a description of the bastards that be- 
 long to it. I now proceed to describe the bastards of the 
 Flandrines, reminding the reader that this description 
 applies to cows of all sizes. 
 
 These cows being met with in all the orders of this class, 
 to estimate correctly their yield of milk, we must pro- 
 ceed as with '^free " cows; that is, adding to, or taking 
 from, the normal yield, as indicated by the form and di- 
 mensions of their escutcheons. 
 
 Flandrine cows have two species of bastards. The first 
 
 — No. 1 — has the Bastard feather marked /, in the figure. 
 
 Its hair is descending, and it is placed high up in the 
 
 median line of the escutcheon. Its form is oval, and its 
 
 3 
 
50 MILCH COWS. 
 
 distance below the vulva about two decimetres (8 in.) 
 This feather is from ten to twelve centimetres (4 to 4.8 
 in. ) in length, to from six to seven 
 r^-'^'^^:^-r- (2.4 to 2.8 in.) in breadth. It shows 
 
 .^ ^ J of a whiter gloss than the escntch- 
 
 eon. The larger this feather, the 
 more rapid is the falling-off in milk, 
 if it is small, the loss is less consid- 
 erable, but it certainly occurs as 
 the animal advances in pregnancy. 
 The presence of this feather is 
 the only mark by which we can 
 distinguish the bastards of this 
 kind (No. 1,) from the free orders. 
 
 The bastard No. 2, has the same characteristics as the 
 " free " cows of the first order of the class. The escutch- 
 eon is the same; only, instead of ascending vertically to- 
 wards the vulva, the haii* of its margins spreads sideways 
 over the thighs and buttocks of the animal, flaring out 
 like an ear of wheat. On the inside of the thighs, as far 
 as the vulva, the skin is delicate and of a reddish color, 
 but no fine scales detach themselves from it, as in the 
 first orders. The largest escutcheons, of the finest hair, 
 are those which indicate the most abundant supply of 
 milk. When the hair is coarse, long, and transparent, it 
 is a sign of poor milk. The description of this variety 
 of bastards being sufficiently explicit, I have not thought 
 it necessary to ilhistrate it by a special figure.* 
 
 SECOND CLASS. -LEFT-HAND FLANDRINES. 
 
 I have given the name of Left-hand Flandrines to this 
 class, because it presents on the left-side, the character- 
 
 *In order not to multiply the number of figures, I have represented 
 the bastards of each class with the escutcheons of the first orders. 
 When the classiucation is consulted for bastards of other orders, the 
 bastardy may be referred to the figures representing the corresponding 
 orders of " free " cows. 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 51 
 
 istics of the Flandrines just described. In this class, as 
 in the others, the cows which are characterized by the 
 escutcheons indicated in the designs of the class, are all 
 considered as belonging to the same family. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 Fust Order, — Cows of the first order of this class, 
 give, when in full flow of milk, twenty-two litres (23 
 quarts) daily, and continue milking, with a continually 
 
 lessening supply, until they are eight months gone Y/ith 
 calf. Like the cows of the first order of the first class, 
 they will never go dry if constantly milked. Those of 
 the first order have a fine udder covered with soft down, 
 which ascends from the middle of the four teats, spreads 
 within and a little above the houghs, and extends over 
 the thighs to the points marked a, a. The right side of 
 the escutcheon is checked by a transverse line, running 
 toward the center of the thighs. The left side rises in a 
 vertical line as high as the top of the vulva, w^here the 
 escutcheon ends with a breadth of about eight to ten 
 centimetres (3 to 4 in.) at the point h. 
 
52 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Above the hinder teats, as in the first order of the first 
 class, we find two Oval feathers of descending hair, 
 marked e, e, being each four to five centimetres (1.6 to 
 2 in.) in breadth, by eight to ten (3 to 4 in.) in length, 
 and conspicuous by the whiter lustre of the hair. 
 The first order of this class, moreover, like that of the 
 preceding, has the inside of the thighs and perinaeum, 
 as high as the vulva, of a yellowish or nankeen color, 
 sprinkled with black and red spots; 
 and on scratching the skin with 
 the nail, small unctuous scales are 
 detached like fine bran, or the 
 powder of some fatty substance. 
 
 Second Order. — Tliese cov/s give 
 eighteen litres (19 quarts) milk 
 daily, and continue until they are 
 seven months gone with calf. The 
 pattern of the escutcheon is the 
 same as that of the first order; but the points a, a, are 
 nearer together, and the whole figure is narrowed. It 
 has on the left of the vulva, a Babine feather of descend- 
 ing hair, marked c, in the figure, of six to seven centi- 
 metres (2.4 to 2.8 in.) in length, by 
 one in breadth. The whole escutch- 
 eon is distinguished by the gloss of 
 its reversed hair; there is but a 
 single oval feather above the teats, 
 which is situated on the left of the 
 udder, and marked e in the figure. 
 
 Third Order. — These cows give 
 fourteen litres (15 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until they are six 
 months gone with calf; the design of the escutcheon is 
 the same as in the first and second orders, but still more 
 
CLASSIFICATION". 
 
 53 
 
 contracted. The points a, a, are lower and nearer to- 
 gether. To the left of the vulva may be seen a white 
 streak in the ascending hair; this is the Babine feather 
 of descending hair, marked in the figure by c; it is from 
 twelve to fifteen centimetres (4.8 
 to 6 in. ) long, by two (0. 8 in. ) broad. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this 
 order give ten litres (lOy^ quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue it until 
 they are five months gone with calf. 
 They have the same upper mark as 
 the preceding order; the lines of 
 the escutcheon run nearer together, 
 and the whole figure is more con- 
 tracted. The points «, a, are lower and less extended; 
 the Babine feather, c, to the left of the vulva, is of de- 
 scending hair, longer and wider than that of the preced- 
 ing order. Beneath the points a, a, to the left or right, 
 sometimes appears the Thigh feathery, formed of de- 
 scending hair, forming a continua- 
 tion of that of the thighs, and en- 
 croaching on the escutcheon. All 
 the orders of this class may have 
 this feather, which is always indic- 
 ative of a smaller yield of milk. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give seven litres (7 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing it until they are 
 four months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon is more contracted than in the preceding 
 order; on the left side, the hair, instead of ascending 
 vertically, feathers out sideways like the beard of an 
 ear of wheat; the hair, coarser over all the escutcheon, 
 is irregular on the right side, from the presence of the 
 
54 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Thigh feather, g, which replaces a part of the ascending, 
 by descending hair. This feather begins on the inner 
 surface of the thigh, and is lost on 
 the surface of the udder. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give four litres (4 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and continue only three months 
 after a new impregnation. The 
 pattern of the escutcheon is nar- 
 rower than the preceding; and the 
 upper part is formed of coarse 
 hairs, feathering off to the left. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of medium size of the first order, 
 give, when in full milking, seventeen litres (18 quarts) 
 daily, continuing it for eight months after impregnation, 
 like those of large size. Like those, also, they can be 
 milked down to the very time of calving. 
 
 Second Order. — These give fourteen litres (15 quarts) 
 of milk daily, continued until they are seven months 
 gone with calf. 
 
 Tliird Order. — Ten litres (10y„ quarts) of milk daily, 
 continued until they are six months gone with calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Seven litres (7 quarts) of milk daily, 
 continued until they are five months gone with calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Four litres (4 quarts) of milk daily, 
 continued until they are four months gone with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Two litres (2 quarts) of milk daily, 
 continued until they are three months gone with calf. 
 
CLASSIFICATIOIir. 55 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this order, in full milking, give 
 twelve litres {l"^'/^ quarts) of milk daily, and continue it 
 as do those of large and medium size, the quantity 
 diminishing gradually as their pregnancy advances. 
 
 Second Order, — Ten litres (lOy^ quarts) of milk daily, 
 continued until they are seven months gone with calf. 
 
 Third Order. — Seven litres (7 quarts) daily, until six 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Fourfh Order. — Four litres (4 quarts) daily, until five 
 months gone v/ith calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Two litres (2 quarts) daily, until four 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — One litre (1 quart) daily, until three 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 BASTARD LEFT-HAND FLANDRINES. 
 
 The bastards of this class are distmguished by a peculi- 
 arity in the escutcheon, which takes a large and irregular 
 development in the upper part and 
 to the left of the vulva, and the 
 hair is also bristling. In addition 
 we shall find the Buttock feather, 
 situated to the right of the vulva, 
 with which it is almost in contact; it 
 is marked c in the figure. This 
 feather, the hair of which grows 
 almost horizontally, is about twelve 
 to fifteen centimetres (4.8 to 6 in.) 
 in length, by seven to eight (2.8 to 
 3.2 in.) in breadth. The smaller this feather is, the 
 less diminution of milk does it indicate, but none the 
 
56 MILCH COWS. 
 
 less the cows marked with it lose their milk gradually, 
 after a new impregnation. 
 
 THIKD CLASS. -SELVEDGE COWS. 
 
 The form of the escutcheon of this class is very differ- 
 ent from that of the two preceding. Its ascending part 
 is formed by a streak of upward-growing hair m the form 
 of a selvedge or list, extending uj^ward vertically, and 
 ending at the vulva without any interruption. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — The large cows of the first order of this 
 class, give twenty-four litres (25 quarts) of milk daily, 
 
 and continue it until they are eight months gone with 
 calf, or even until calving, if the milking is kept up. 
 They have a fine, elastic, and velvety udder, covered 
 with a light ascending down. The escutcheon starts 
 from the middle of the four teats, extends within the 
 thighs and above the houghs, spreading out to the points 
 a, a, from which points, two transverse horizontal lines 
 
CLASSIPICATIOl^. 
 
 57 
 
 run in toward the joining of the thighs, as far as the 
 points l, 1), which are about ten centimetres (4 in. ) apart. 
 A double Hne starting from the points 1), l, mounts ver- 
 tically to the Yulva, where the escutcheon ends with a 
 breadth of two centimetres (0.8 in.) Above the two 
 hinder teats, are two Oval feathers, e, e, of ascending 
 hair, which are very nearly as large as those described in 
 the first order of Flandrines; they are distinguished 
 by a whiter color than that of the escutcheon. In 
 the first order of Selvedge cows, 
 as in the first order of Flandrines, 
 the color of the escutcheon from the 
 junction of the thighs, is of a yel- 
 lowish, or nankeen tint, as high as 
 the vulva. 
 
 Second Order* — These cows give 
 
 twenty litres (21 quarts) of milk 
 
 daily, and continue it until they are 
 
 seven months gone with calf. Their 
 
 escutcheon has the same form as that of the first order; 
 
 the points a, a, are nearer together, how^ever, and the 
 
 whole figure is more contracted. There is a Buttock 
 feather, c, of ascending hair to the 
 left of the vulva; it is about four 
 centimetres (1.6 in.) long, by about 
 one centimetre (0.4 in.) wide, and 
 is distinguished by the whitish lus- 
 tre of the reversed hair. Above 
 the teats is a single Oval feather, 
 marked e. 
 
 TJiird Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give sixteen litres (17 quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue it until they are six months 
 gone with calf. The marks of this order are nearly 
 
58 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 the same as those of the preceding order, but the 
 points a, a, are closer together and lower. The escutch- 
 eon terminates at the vulva by a sharp point, to the right 
 and left of which are two Buttock 
 feathers of ascending hair, c, c, of 
 the same breadth as that of the 
 preceding order; but the right one 
 is several centimetres shorter than 
 the left. 
 
 Fourtli Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give twelve litres (12y„ quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue it until 
 they are five months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon is more contracted than in the preceding 
 order, the points a, a, are closer together, standing not 
 more than two decimetres (8 in.) apart; the list or 
 stripe ascends as high as the vulva, where it termi- 
 nates in a sharp point. To right and left of the 
 vulva, there are two Buttock feath- 
 ers, marked c; they are wider and 
 longer than in the preceding order. 
 
 Flftli Order. — Cows of this order 
 give nine litres (9'/, quarts) of 
 milk daily, and continue it until 
 they are four months gone with 
 calf. The escutcheon is still more 
 contracted, the ascending line is 
 very slender, and is broken in the 
 upper half, with interspaces of one, two, or three centi- 
 metres. The Buttock feathers, c, c, are longer and wider 
 than those of the preceding order. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order give six litres (6 
 quarts) of milk daily, ceasing when they are three 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 59 
 
 months gone with calf. The escutcheon is even more 
 
 contracted, and the ascending 
 
 line is broken by wider intervals 
 
 than in the preceding order. 
 
 Buttock feathers are often found 
 
 to right and left of the vulva, 
 
 in which they are longer and 
 
 broader, and of coarser and 
 
 more bristly hair, than in the 
 
 preceding order. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this size and order, give, when 
 in full milking, nineteen litres (20 quarts) daily, and 
 continue until they are eight months gone with calf. 
 
 Second Order. — Fifteen litres (16 quarts,) continued 
 until they are seven months gone with calf. 
 
 Third Order. — Twelve litres (12y2 quarts,) continued 
 until six months in calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Nine litres (Oy^ quarts,) continued 
 until five months gone with calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Six litres (6 quarts,) continued until 
 four months gone with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Three litres (3 quarts,) continued until 
 three months gone with calf. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 The yield of the cows of small size, is the same in 
 quantity and continuance, as that of the Flandrines of 
 the same size and order. 
 
60 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 BASTARD SELVEDGE COWS. 
 
 The bastards of this class, of 
 every size and order, may be rec- 
 ognized by two Buttock feathers, 
 one on each side at the heiglit of 
 the vulva. These feathers are from 
 ten to twelve centimetres (4 to 4.8 
 in.) long, by from four to six (1.6 
 to 2.4 in.) wide. When these 
 feathers are pointed at the extremi- 
 ties, and of a coarse hair, they in- 
 dicate a thin and watery milk. But 
 
 whatever their form, they are a sign of an early loss of 
 
 milk after impregnation. 
 
 FOURTH CLASS.— CURVELINES. 
 
 I have applied this name to cows of the fourth class, 
 because the outline of their escutcheon, which is some- 
 what of a lozenge shape, is formed by curved lines start- 
 ing from the right and left, and ascending until they 
 join at about five to six centimetres (2 to 2.4 in.) be- 
 low the vulva. This class is very abundant in milk, in 
 Avhich respect it approaches the first. Cows of this class 
 are found in all breeds, the production varying with the 
 size and order, as in the previous classes. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this size and order, give, when 
 in full milking, twenty-four litres (25 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and continue, but with a gradual diminution, un- 
 til they are eight months gone with calf. The skin of 
 the escutcheon is covered with the same saffron-yellow 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 61 
 
 pellicles, and the same fine down, as that of cows of the 
 first order of the preceding classes. The escutcheon 
 widens more at the top, starting from between the four 
 teats, Avithin and above the houghs, it ascends, spreading 
 to right and left, as high as the middle of the thighs, at 
 the points a, a. From these points start, to right and 
 left, two curved lines, concave inwardly, which end at 
 the point b, about four or five centimetres (1.6 or 2 in.) 
 from the vulva. Above and opposite the hinder teats. 
 
 there are, as in cows of the first order, of the preceding 
 classes, two Oval feathers of descending hair, marked e, e. 
 Cows of the first order of this class, may have the But- 
 tock feathers to right and left of the vulva. When these 
 exist, their length is from three to four centimetres (1.2 
 to 1.6 in.), and their breadth one. They denote the 
 continuance of milk during pregnancy, though it fre- 
 quently happens that cows which are destitute of these 
 feathers preserve their milk equally well. 
 
 Second Order.— Cows of this order give twenty litres 
 
62 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 (21 quarts) of milk daih', continuing until they are seven 
 
 months gone with calf. The form 
 
 r^.^ . , of the escutcheon is the same as 
 
 ^ in the preceding order, but rather 
 more contracted in all its parts. 
 To the left of the vulya is seen a 
 Buttock feather of ascending hair, 
 marked c, about four centimetres 
 (1.6 in.) long by one (0.4 in.) 
 wide. In this order there is but 
 one Oval feather, e, on the left 
 side, above the teats. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this order give sixteen litres 
 
 (IT quarts) of milk daily, continuing 
 
 until they are eight months gone 
 
 with calf. The pattern of the es- 
 cutcheon is more contracted than in 
 
 the preceding order, but resembles it 
 
 in form. To right and left of the 
 
 vulva are two Buttock feathers of 
 
 ascending hair, marked c, c, of 
 
 about a decimetre (4 in.) in length 
 
 by two centimetres (0.8 in.) in 
 
 width. Above the teats on the 
 
 left side there is an Oval feather, marked e; the point, 
 h, is lower than in the preceding 
 order, and to the right, below the 
 letter a, may be noticed a feather of 
 descending hair, making a notch 
 in the escutcheon. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give twelve litres (12y„ quarts) 
 of milk daily, and cease milking 
 when they are five months gone 
 with calf. The escutcheon is lower 
 
CLASSIFICA.TION. 
 
 63 
 
 and still, more contracted; tlic Buttock feather, c, is seen 
 on each side of the vulva. It is fifteen centimetres 
 (6 in.) long by three (1.2 in.) wide, 
 the one on the right is shorter than 
 the other. Below the points, a, a, 
 to right and left of the thighs, ap- 
 pear the thigh feathers, g, g, of 
 about ten centimetres (4 in.) wide 
 by about fifteen (6 in) long. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 
 give nine litres (Oy^ quarts) of milk 
 
 daily, and cease milking when they 
 
 are four months gone with calf. The escutcheon is still 
 more contracted in all its parts, 
 the buttock and thigh feathers are 
 longer and wider than in the 
 preceding order. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give six litres (6 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when three 
 months gone with calf. Though 
 the escutcheon shows the distinc- 
 tive form of the class, it is so small 
 appreciable, and indicates a very 
 
 as to be scarcely 
 poor milker. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 The yield of cows of this size is the same in quantity 
 and continuance as that of Flandrines of the same size 
 and order. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 Same as for Flandrines of the same size and order. 
 
64 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Remark. — In this class the detached feathers to right 
 and left of the vulya, marked c, c, should be carefully 
 observed. To be a favorable sign, they should have 
 exactly the size indicated in the description of the char- 
 acteristics of each order. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 When the Buttock feathers are 
 of a length of ten to twelve centi- 
 metres (4 to 4.8 in.), with a width 
 of six to eight (2.4 to 3.2 in.), 
 ending in a point at each extrem- 
 ity, and of coarse, rough hair, they 
 denote a bastard, who will lose her 
 milk as soon as she is again im- 
 pregnated, or very shortly after. 
 
 FIFTH CLASS.— BICORNS. 
 
 I give this name to the cows of my fifth class, because 
 their escutcheon is bifurcated, and resembles two ascend- 
 ing horns, that on the left being longer than the other. 
 Cows of this class are productive, and copious milkers. 
 This class is found in all our breeds. Each order, as in 
 the other classes, has some difference in the details of 
 the characteristic signs. The jield, as in other cases, is 
 in proportion to the size and the order. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order, — Cows of this class and order give, when 
 in fall flow of milk, twenty-four litres (25 quarts) daily, 
 and continue until they are eight months gone with calf. 
 The hair of the escutcheon in the first order of this class, 
 has the fineness of that in the preceding orders. The 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 65 
 
 udder is covered with a fine down, and small scales of a 
 saffron-color may be detached from tlie interior of the 
 thighs, as high as the vulva. The escutcheon, as stated 
 above, has two ascending horns, ending at a distance of 
 about a decimetre (4 in.) from the vulva, while the 
 middle portion dips, as is shown at o. The escutcheon, 
 as in the previous classes, starts from the middle of the 
 four teats, inside and above the houghs, with ascending 
 hair over all its surface; it spreads over upon the thighs 
 
 at the points a, a, and starting from these points, its 
 outline describes a curve, rising to the points h, h, when 
 it dips inward again to the point o. On the sides of the 
 vulva are two Buttock feathers of ascending hair, marked 
 c, c, of about five centimetres (2 in.) in length, by about 
 one (0.4 in.) in width. Above the two hinder teats, are 
 two Oval feathers, e, e, as in the first orders of the pre- 
 ceding classes. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this order give twenty litres 
 (21 quarts) of milk daily, continuing until they are seven 
 months gone with calf. The escutcheon has the same 
 
66 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 form as in the preceding order, but is lower and more 
 contracted. The color of the pel- 
 licles is the same. Of the two But- 
 tock feathers to right and left of 
 the vulva, that on the left is the 
 longer, measuring about eight cen- 
 timetres (3.2 in.), by one and a 
 half (0.0 in.), that on the right 
 measuring about six centimetres (2.4 
 in.) by one (0.4 in.) The right horn 
 of the escutcheon is also lower, by 
 one or two centimetres (0.4 or 0.8 
 
 in.) than the left. There is but a single oval feather, e, 
 
 on the left above the teats. 
 
 Third Order, — Cows of this order give sixteen litres 
 (17 quarts) of milk daily, continuing until they are six 
 months gone with calf. The escutcheon is still lower 
 than in the second order; there are two Buttock feathers 
 to right and left of the vulva, somewhat longer and wider 
 than in the preceding order. The 
 right horn of the escutcheon is from 
 two to three centimetres (0.8 to 1.2 
 in.) lower tlian the left. There is 
 no Oval feather above the teats. 
 Beneath the point a, on the right 
 side, may be observed an encroach- 
 ment of descending hair, from that 
 of the thigh, distinguishable from 
 the ascending hair of the escutch- ^^ ^W 5?^ 
 eon by its whiter color. The more 
 extensive this patch of descending hair, the less will be 
 the yield of milk. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this order give twelve litres 
 (12y, quarts) of milk daily, continuing until they are 
 five months gone wdth calf. The escutcheon has the 
 
CLASSIFICATJOX. 
 
 07 
 
 same form, but is more contracted, and further from the 
 Yulva. Beneath the point a, on the 
 right, is a notch or gore of descend- 
 ing hair, forming an acute angle, 
 marked g, which almost divides the 
 escutcheon. To right and left of 
 the vulva, at the points c, c, are 
 two Buttock feathers of ascending, 
 and bristling hair; that on the left 
 measures about twelve centimetres 
 (4.8 in.) long, by about two or three 
 (0.8 or 1.2 in.) wide; that on the 
 right is from eight to ten centimetres (3.2 to 4 in. long,) 
 by two or three wide. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give nine litres (Oy^ quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until four months 
 gone with calf. The escutcheon is 
 still lower, and more withdrawn into 
 the junction of the thighs, the horns 
 are diminished in length. To right 
 and left of the vulva are two But- 
 tock feathers of ascending and bristly 
 hairs; that on the right is the smaller. 
 On the right side of the escutcheon 
 will be found the Thigh feather, g. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give six litres (6 quarts) of milk 
 daily, until three months gone with 
 calf. The escutcheon is still smaller 
 than in the fifth order, the ascend- 
 ing hairs to the left of the vulva are 
 more spread out, and quite bristling. 
 Cows of this order are poor milkers, 
 and can scarcelv nourish their calves. 
 
68 
 
 MILCH COTN'S. 
 
 MEDIOI SIZE. 
 
 The yield of eo^ys of this size is the same, both as to 
 quantity and persistence, as that of Flandrines of the 
 same size and order. 
 
 SMAT.T. SIZE. 
 
 The same as for Flandrines of the same size and order. 
 
 BASTAEDS. 
 
 The bastards of Bicorn cows can 
 be recognized by the Buttock feath- 
 ers, c, c, being mu 
 wider than those of the 
 cows. These cows give a liberal 
 supply of milk, but their milk fails 
 as soon as they are again with calf. 
 
 longer and 
 •' free " 
 
 SIXTH CLASS.— DOUBLE SELVEDGE COWS. 
 
 The name which I have given this new class is purely 
 arbitrary, and was suggested by the odd appearance of 
 the escutcheon. The escutcheon of Double Selvedge 
 Cows, differs from that of the third or Selvedge class, 
 by being divided throughout its whole length, into two 
 equal parts by a band of descending hair. This band, of 
 from eight to ten centimetres (3.2 to 4 in.) in width, 
 surrounds the vulva, and descends to the point /, near 
 the hmder teats. It is bordered on each side throughout 
 its whole length, and at its extremity by a double fillet, c, c, 
 of ascending hair, of about two centimetres (0.8 in.) in 
 width, which fillet is, in fact, a prolongation of the es- 
 
CLASSIFICATION^-. 
 
 69 
 
 cutcheon, in the direction of the vulya. This escutcheon, 
 like those of the other classes, starts from the middle of 
 the four teats, within and above the houghs, and spreads 
 out to the points a, a, where it is bordered bj two hori- 
 zontal lines; thence running in to the points h, i, from 
 which it is continued by the ascending fillets c, c, aud 
 ends above on each side of the vulva. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order.— Cows of this order and size give twenty- 
 two litres (23 quarts) of milk daily, continuing it, but 
 with a progressive diminution during gestation, until 
 
 they are eight months gone with calf, and if constantly 
 milked, will never go dry. The cows of- this first order 
 have the udder fine, elastic, and covered with a silky 
 down. The skin of the escutcheon is of a yellowish, or 
 nankeen color. 
 
70 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of the sec- 
 ond order give eighteen litres (19 
 quarts) of milk daily, continuing 
 until they are seven months gone 
 with calf. Their escutcheon is of 
 the same form as that of the jire- 
 ceding order, but a little narrower 
 in surface. The descending band 
 of hair, marked j, ends about eight 
 to ten centimetres (3.2 to 4 in.) 
 above the teats. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this order, when in full flow^ 
 
 of milk, give fourteen litres (15 
 
 quarts) of milk daily, continuing 
 
 until they are six months gone with 
 
 calf. The escutcheon has the same 
 
 form as in the preceding orders, but 
 
 is still more contracted; the two 
 
 fillets are narrower by half at the 
 
 top than in the first order, and the 
 
 central band of descending hair ends 
 
 near the center of the udder, about 
 
 fifteen centimetres (6 in.) above the 
 
 hinder teats. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give ten litres (lOy^ quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when five 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon resembles the preceding, 
 but the two fillets which ascend 
 toward the vulva, are still narrower 
 and closer together, their distance 
 apart being from five to six centime- 
 tres. The hair is coarser and denser; 
 the central part, of descending hair. 
 
CLASSIFICATION". 
 
 71 
 
 marked j, is only about three decimetres (12 in.) in 
 length. Beneath the letter a, on the right of the es- 
 cutcheon, is a Thigh feather, marked g. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give seven litres (7 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when they 
 are four months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon is more contracted 
 than in the preceding orders, the de- 
 scending band of hair ends at from 
 two to three centimetres (0.8 to 1.2 
 in.) above the udder. The hair of 
 the escutcheon is denser and more 
 bristling than in the preceding or- 
 ders, and there are two Thigh feathers, marked g. 
 
 Sixth Order, — Cov/s of this order 
 give four litres (4 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when three 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon is greatly withdrawn within 
 the thighs, the two fillets of ascend- 
 ing hair are very near together, and 
 vanish before reaching the vulva. 
 That of the right is much shorter than 
 the left. This escutcheon indicates 
 an exceedingly small yield of milk. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 The yield of cows of medium size is the same, as to 
 quantity and continuance, as that of Left-hand Flan- 
 driues of the same size and order. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 The same as for Left-hand Flandrines of the same 
 size and order. 
 
72 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 Bastards of this class are recognizable by the two But- 
 tock feathers, one on the right and 
 the other on the left of the vulva. 
 These feathers are from ten to twelve 
 centimetres (4 to 4.8 in.) long by 
 seven or eight (2.8 or 3.2 in.) wide. 
 The two fillets ascend as high as 
 the Buttock feathers, which they 
 join, especially on the right side; 
 these feathers are formed of coarse, 
 bristling hair. The larger the es- 
 cutcheon and the smaller the feath- 
 ers, the better is the cow, and the longer will she 
 continue milkinsf. 
 
 SEVENTH CLASS— DEMIJOHNS. 
 
 The name of this class has been given from the resem- 
 blance of the form of the escutcheon to that of a 
 demijohn.* 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this size and order give, when 
 in full milkiug, twenty-four litres (25 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until they are eight months gone with 
 calf. The first order of this class has the skin of the 
 escutcheon of the same color as that of the first orders 
 of the preceding classes; the udder is fine, and covered 
 with a silky down on the interior of the thighs, the 
 small pellicles which may be detached from the epidermis 
 
 * The name given by M. Guenon is " Poitevines," a term -which, as he 
 explains, has no reference to the cows of Poitou, but is a word of his 
 own coinage, derived from wine-jug {pot dc vin), or demijohn. As the 
 term " Demijohn " has been used by previous writers in this country, it 
 has been retained here. — Tr. 
 
CLASSIFICATION^. 73 
 
 are unctuous to the touch. The escutcheon starts from 
 the middle of the four teats, within and above the 
 houghs, spreads toward the middle of the thigh at the 
 points a, a, whence proceed two transverse re-entering 
 lines, reaching to the points /, /, situated about twelve 
 to fifteen centimetres (4.8 to 6 in.) ai^art; from these 
 latter points a double line of ascending hair is prolonged 
 upward, terminating squarely at n. This part is from 
 six to eight centimetres (2.4 to 3.2 in.) wide, and stops 
 
 at about a decimetre and a half (6 in.) below the 
 vulva; the wider it is, and the nearer it approaches the 
 vulva, the more milk the cow will give. Above the 
 hinder teats there are two Oval feathers, marked e, c, 
 formed of descending hair, and about a decimetre (I 
 in.) long by five or six centimetres (2.0 or 2.4 in) 
 wide. To right and left of the vulva are two Buttock 
 feathers of ascending hair, marked o, o, which are about 
 four to five centimetres (1.6 to 2 in.) long, and a cen- 
 timetre (0.4 in.) wide. The hair of these feathers is 
 short, white, and very distinct. 
 4 
 
74 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give twenty litres (21 quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue until 
 they are seven months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon has the same form 
 as in the preceding order, it is only 
 a little less expanded in all its parts. 
 There is but a single Oval feather 
 above the left hinder teat, the feath- 
 ers to right and left of the vulva are 
 longer than in the preceding order. 
 
 Third Order, — Cows of this order give sixteen litres 
 (17 quarts) daily, and continue until 
 they are six months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon is still more con- 
 tracted than in the preceding order; 
 the pomts, a, a, are nearer together; 
 the line, n, is more distant from the 
 vulva. To the right, below the 
 point, a, a feather of descending 
 hair, g, scoops out a part of the 
 outline. The Buttock feathers are 
 longer and wider than in the pre- 
 ceding order. The left hand one being about twelve cen- 
 timetres (4.8 in.) in length, by two 
 and a half (1 in.) in width; that 
 on the right is shorter and narrower. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give twelve litres (ISy^ quarts) 
 of milk daily, continuing until they 
 are five months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon is contracted and low- 
 ered. The Buttock feathers to right 
 and left of the vulva are longer and 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 75 
 
 wider; the hair is coarser and more bristling, 
 right of the escutcheon is the Thigh 
 feather, g. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give nine litres (97, quarts) of milk 
 daily, and stop milking when four 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon is notably reduced in all 
 its proportions. The Buttock and 
 Thigh feathers are longer and wider 
 than in the fourth order. 
 
 On the 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give six litres (6 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and stop milking when three 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon is small, and contracted 
 in all its parts. The Buttock feath- 
 ers are still wider and longer. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 The yield of Demijohn cows of 
 medium size is the same in quantity 
 and persistence as that of Flandrines of the same size 
 and order. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 Same as for Flandrines of the 
 ame size and order. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 Bastards of this class can be rec- 
 ognized by the Buttock feathers, c,c, 
 when these reach the dimensions of 
 
76 MILCH cows. 
 
 twelve to fifteen ccntimetrea {-L.S to G in.) in length 
 by six or eight (2.4 or 3.2 in.) in width. 
 
 EIGHTH CLASS. -SQUARE COWS. 
 
 The name is sufficiently explained by the form of the 
 escutcheon, which, at the top, is shaped like a carpen- 
 ter's square. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this order give, when in full 
 milking, twenty-two litres (23 quarts) of milk daily, and 
 
 continue until they are eight months gone with calf. 
 The epidermis of the escutcheon of ascending hair, has 
 the same color as in the first orders of the preceding 
 classes, the udder is elastic, and covered with short fine 
 down. The escutcheon starts from the middle of the 
 four teats, spreads within over the inner part of the 
 thighs, stops a little above the houghs, and expands to 
 the points marked a, a. It is there bounded above by two 
 horizontal lines starting from those points, and re-enter- 
 ing to the points, j, j, whence it ascends, as in the Demi- 
 john class, to within five or six centimetres (2 to 2.4 
 
classifications". 
 
 77 
 
 in.) of the vulva, at o, from which point a horizontal 
 band turns off to the left at ]). From the point, ^, 
 springs a vertical line rising as high as the top of the 
 vulva, at s, forming, with the preceding band, the figure 
 of a carpenter's square. Above the hinder teats are two 
 oval feathers marked e, as in the first orders of the other 
 classes. Those squares which approach nearest the vulva, 
 and are composed of the finest hair, indicate the best 
 milkers. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this order giv^e eighteen litres 
 (19 quarts) of milk daily, continu- 
 ing until they are eight months 
 gone with calf. The escutcheon 
 has the same form as in the previ- 
 ous order, but is more contracted 
 in all its parts. The square is fur- 
 ther below the vulva, and the as- 
 cending fillet consequently longer. 
 There are two Oval feathers, e, e, 
 above the liinder teats, and the But- 
 tock feather, c, is found on the 
 right of the vulva. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this order 
 give fourteen litres (15 quarts) of 
 milk daily, continuing until they 
 are six months gone with calf. The 
 form of the escutcheon remains the 
 same, but is still more contracted, 
 the square has fallen to three deci- 
 metres (12 in.) below the vulva. 
 To the right of the vulva is a feather, 
 c, of ascending hair of about eight 
 centimetres (3.2 in.) in length by 
 
 two and a half (1 in.) in width. On the left, above the 
 
 teats, is found the Oval feather, marked e. 
 
78 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give ten litres (10y„ quarts) of 
 milk daily, continuing nntil they 
 are five months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon has become still 
 smaller; the points, a, a, are lower- 
 ed, and the square has descended. 
 The ascending fillet, on reaching the 
 vulva, is formed of bristling hairs, 
 deviating a little from the vertical 
 as they ascend. The part on the 
 
 right is also elongated and bristling. The Thigh feather 
 
 or gore appears at g. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give seven litres (7 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until they are four 
 months gone with calf. The lower 
 part of the escutcheon is greatly 
 contracted, and forms a sort of tri- 
 angle, truncated and rounded off at 
 the teats. The square is very low, 
 its hair is coarse and bristling, as 
 is that of the feather to the right 
 of the vulva. There are two 
 Thigh feathers or gores at g, g. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give four litres (4 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until they are 
 three months gone with calf. The 
 form of the escutcheon is scarcely 
 distinguishable on the animal; the 
 square is down on the thighs. The 
 fillet ascending to the vulva is 
 more bristling and larger than the 
 feather to the right. 
 
CLASSIFICATIOIS". 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 79 
 
 The yield of cows of mediuni size is the same, as to 
 quantity and persistence, as that of Left-hand Flan- 
 drines of the same size and order. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 Same as for Left-hand Flandrines of the same size 
 and order. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 Bastards of Square cows are dis- 
 tinguished by one feature only ; the 
 feather, c, to the right of the vulva, 
 is of bristling hair. This feature 
 indicates degeneration in all the 
 orders, a degeneration greater or 
 less in proportion to the length and 
 width of the escutcheon and the 
 feather, and greatest when the as- 
 cending fillet, to the left of the 
 vulva, is of bristling liair like the 
 feather on the rio^ht. 
 
 NINTH CLASS.— LIMOUSINES. 
 
 The first cow of this class which came under my ob- 
 servation was of Limoges, and this suggested the name 
 of the class. It must not, however, be supposed that it 
 is confined to cows of that province; it is found in all 
 breeds, with all its orders and their characteristic marks. 
 The escutcheon of Limousine cows assumes the form of 
 a spear-point or arrow-head as it ascends toward the 
 vulva. 
 
80 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Limousine cows of large size give, when 
 in full milking, twenty litres (21 quarts) of milk daily, 
 continumg imtil they are eight months gone with calf. 
 The skin of the escutcheon is of the same color as in the 
 preceding classes; the udder is supple, and covered with 
 a soft silky down. The escutcheon starts from the middle 
 of the four teats, extends within and above the houghs, 
 ascending and expanding over the thighs as far as the 
 points, fl, a. Two transverse lines starting from these 
 
 points, re-enter, sloping a little downwards, as far as the 
 points, y,y, which are about a decimetre (4 in.) apart. 
 From the points, j, j, arise two converging lines, meet- 
 ing at an acute angle at the point o, about a decimetre 
 (4 in.) below the vulva. On the right and left of the 
 vulva are two Buttock feathers, c, c, of ascending hair; 
 these are about five centimetres (2 in.) long by about one 
 (0.4 in.) wide. Above the hinder teats are two Oval 
 feathers of descending hair, marked e, e, of the same 
 dimensions as those in the preceding classes. 
 
CLASSIFICATION". 
 
 81 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give sixteen litres (17 quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue until 
 they are eight months gone with 
 calf. The escutcheon of this order 
 resembles that of the first, but is 
 more contracted. The lines, a,j, 
 are horizontal and more distant 
 from the vulva. The feathers to 
 right and left of the vulva are 
 longer and wider, and there is but 
 a single Oval feather above the teats. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this order 
 give twelve litres (127, quarts) of 
 milk daily, continuing until they 
 are six months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon is still more contracted. 
 The Buttock feather, c, of ascending 
 hair, to the left of the vulva, is 
 lonofer and wider than that on the 
 right, and is of coarser hair. There 
 is no Oval feather above the teats, 
 and the point, o, is further re- 
 moved from the vulva. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this 
 order give nine litres (9'/, quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue until 
 they are five months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon is narrower and 
 lower. The points, «, a, are more 
 depressed, and the whole escutch- 
 eon takes rather a rounded form. 
 The point, o, is still nearer the 
 teats. The feathers to right and left 
 of the vulva are of bristling hair; 
 
82 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 that on the left is fifteen centimetres (6 in.) long and 
 two (0.8 in.) wide; that on the right is eight centimetres 
 (3.2 in.) long by two (0.8 in.) wide. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give six litres (G quarts) of milk 
 daily, and continue until four 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon is now quite rounded. 
 The point, o, is distant from the 
 vulva. Deep between the thighs ap- 
 pear two Thigh feathers, g, of de- 
 scending hair, of greater or less 
 size, indicating a suppression of 
 milk. The Buttock feathers on 
 
 each side of the vulva are larger than in the preceding 
 
 order. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give three litres (3 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when 
 three months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon, though similar in form 
 to the preceding, is .withdraw^n so 
 deeply between the thighs as to be 
 scarcely distinguishable. The But- 
 tock feathers are longer, wider, 
 and more bristling, a sign of de- 
 generation. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of this order give fifteen litres 
 (16 quarts) of milk daily, and continue until eight 
 months gone with calf. 
 
 Second Order. — Twelve litres (12'/^ quarts) daily, until 
 seven months gone with calf. 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 83 
 
 Third Order. — Mne litres (9y„ quarts) daily, until six 
 months with calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Six litres (6 quarts) daily, until five 
 months with call 
 
 Fifth Order. — Three litres (3 quarts) daily, until four 
 months with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Two litres (2 quarts) daily, until three 
 months with calf. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Ten litres (lOy^ quarts) daily, until 
 eight months with calf. 
 
 Second Order. — Eight litres (8 quarts) daily, until 
 seven months with calf. 
 
 Tliird Order. — Six litres (6 quarts) daily, until six 
 months with calf. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Four litres (4 quarts) daily, until five 
 months with calf. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Two litres (2 quarts) daily, until four 
 months with calf. 
 
 Sixth Order. — One litre (1 quart) daily, until three 
 months with calf. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 The feathers of ascending hair to 
 right and left of the vulva, marked 
 c, c, have the same length and width 
 as m the bastard Curvelines and 
 Bicorns. They are the character- 
 istic signs of bastard, and degen- 
 erate cows in this class. 
 
84 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 TENTH CLASS.— CARRESINES. 
 
 I have given the name of Carresines to those cows 
 whose escutcheon is terminated above by a horizontal 
 line. 
 
 LARGE SIZE. 
 
 First Order. — Cows of tliis size and order give, when 
 in full milking, twenty litres (21 quarts) of milk daily, 
 
 and continue until eight months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon of this class differs from the others by its flat 
 horizontal top. The j^ellicles which can be detached 
 from it, resemble a yellow dust; the hair is short, fine, 
 and silky. The escutcheon starts from the middle of the 
 four teats, extends within, and a little above the houghs, 
 spreads upon the thighs as it ascends, to the points a, a, 
 where it is bounded by a horizontal line from thigh to 
 thigh, dividing the udder in the middle. Although the 
 escutcheon of this class is farther from the vulva than in 
 any of the others, the cows are none the less good, espec- 
 ially when they have two Buttock feathers, c, o, of as- 
 
CLASSIFICATIOiT. 85 
 
 cending hair, to right and left of the vulva. These 
 feathers indicate the continuance of milk during preg- 
 nancy, they measure from seven to eight centimetres (2. 8 
 to 3. 2 in. ) in length, by one (0. 4 in. ) in width. Above the 
 hinder teats are two Oval feathers of descending hair, of 
 a whitish color, and of the same size as in the preceding 
 classes. 
 
 Second Order. — Cows of this order give sixteen litres 
 (17 quarts) of milk daily, and continue until seven 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon has the same form, but is 
 more contracted below. The feath- 
 ers to right and left of the vulva 
 are of unequal size, that to the right 
 being from two to three centimetres 
 (0.8 to 1.2 in.) shorter than the 
 other. There is but one Oval 
 feather, on the left above the hinder 
 teats. Some cows of this class have 
 a Dart feather, five centimetres (2 
 in.) long by one centimetre (0.4 in.) wide, situated 
 immediately beneath the vulva, and terminating below in 
 a point. 
 
 Third Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der give twelve litres {V^^ / ^ quarts) 
 of milk daily, and continue until 
 they are six months gone with calf. 
 The escutcheon is more contracted, 
 and lower than in the preceding 
 order. On each side of the vulva is 
 a feather of ascending hair, of eight 
 to ten centimetres (3.2 to 4 in.) in 
 length, by two (0.8 in.) in width. 
 The escutcheon is deeply indented 
 
8G 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 by a notcli or gore on one side below the point a; it is an 
 encroachment of descending hair. 
 All the orders of this class are 
 subject to this imperfection. 
 
 Fourth Order. — Cows of this or- 
 der giye nine litres (9'/^ quarts) of 
 milk daily, and cease milking when 
 five months gone with calf. The 
 escutcheon has descended still fur- 
 ther, and is withdrawn between the 
 thighs. The points, «, a, do not 
 
 extend upon the thighs. The feathers of ascending hair, 
 
 c, to right and left of the vulva, 
 
 are bristling, and have increased 
 
 in length and breadth. The Thigh 
 
 feathers take irregular forms. 
 
 Fifth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give six litres (6 quarts) of milk 
 daily, continuing until four months 
 gone with calf. The escutcheon is 
 greatly contracted, and the signs 
 of degeneration are still more con- 
 spicuous. 
 
 Sixth Order. — Cows of this order 
 give three litres (3 quarts) of milk 
 daily, and cease milking when three 
 months gone with calf. The es- 
 cutcheon is still smaller and very 
 low. The Buttock feathers, c, c, 
 are more developed in both length 
 and breadth, and formed of brist- 
 ling hair; that on the left is always 
 longer than that on the right, and 
 in this case the vield of milk is so 
 
CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 87 
 
 diminished as to be insignificant. This degeneration 
 can be yet more considerable, as will be seen by the plates 
 appended to the classification. 
 
 MEDIUM SIZE. 
 
 The yield of cows of this size is the same as to quantity 
 and continuance, as with Limousines of the same size 
 and order. 
 
 SMALL SIZE. 
 
 The same as with Limousines of the same size and 
 order. 
 
 BASTARDS. 
 
 Bastards of this class have the two Buttock feathers 
 of ascending hair, from twelve to 
 fifteen centimetres (4.8 to 6 in.) 
 long. Some of these cows are ex- 
 tremely good milkers when fresh, 
 but they cease milking in a few 
 days after a new impregnation. 
 Those which have a very fine down 
 on the inside of the thighs, give good 
 milk; while the milk of those which 
 have the hair of this part coarse, 
 and transparent, is thin and watery. 
 
MILCH COWS. 
 
 SYNOPTIC TABLE, EXHIBITING THE YIELD OF MILK OF 
 THE TEN CLASSES OF COWS. 
 
 CDNTINUAXCE OF MILX DURIXQ PKEGXAXCT. 
 
 Isi Order. 
 8 months. 
 
 2d Order. MOrdcr. ^thOrder. I Wi Order. Gth Order. 
 7 months. 6 months. 5 months. 4 months. 3 months. 
 
 DAILY YIELD OF MILK. 
 
 §S 
 
 Clasccs, or Families. 
 
 Size of Ani- 
 mals. 
 
 l«t 
 
 2-1 
 
 3,1 
 
 4th 
 
 5<?i 
 
 6th 
 
 (h-' 
 
 Or- 
 
 Or- 
 
 Or- 
 
 Or- 
 
 Or- 
 
 der. 
 
 der. 
 
 der. 
 
 der. 
 
 der. 
 
 der. 
 
 Qts. Qts. Qts. Qts. Qts. Qts. 
 
 1 Flandrines 
 
 i Larffe . 
 Medium. 
 
 2 Left-Hand Flandrines. 
 
 / Small 
 ( Lavo:e . 
 "I Medium 
 I (Small .. 
 j 1 ( Larffe . . 
 
 3 Selvedsre i Medium 
 
 I ^ I Small . . 
 
 i ( Laro^e . . 
 
 4 ; Curvelines ■^, Medium 
 
 ! I Small . . 
 
 i i Laroe . . 
 
 5 Bicorns •< Medium 
 
 ( Small . . 
 
 {Large . . 
 Medium 
 , Small . . 
 \ Large . 
 
 7 Demijohns - Medium 
 
 ( Small . . 
 ( Large . . 
 
 8 Square < Medium 
 
 , ( Small . . 
 
 I ( Large . . 
 
 9 Limousines i Medium 
 
 i { Small . . 
 
 {La rare . . 
 Medium 
 .Small .. 
 
 12i lOi 
 25 21 
 20 , 16 
 15 lU 
 25 21 
 20 16 
 
 15 
 
 25 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 23 
 
 18 
 
 12i 
 
 25 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 23 
 
 18 
 
 V2i 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 lOi 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 lOi 
 
 lU 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 Hi 
 
 19 
 
 15 
 
 lOi 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 Hi 
 
 19 
 
 15 
 
 lOi 
 
 17 
 
 12i 
 
 8 
 17 
 12i 
 
 8 I 
 
 17 
 12i 
 
 8 
 15 
 lOi 7 
 
 7 4 
 17 12i 
 12i, 9i 
 
 lOi 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 
 32i 
 
 8 
 
 12h 
 9i 
 6 
 
 lOi 
 
 li 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 7 i 
 4 i 
 2 I 
 9i I 
 
 6 
 
 12i 
 
 8 
 17 
 12i 9i 
 
 8 6 
 
 17 ' 12i 
 12i 9i 
 
 8 6 
 
 15 lOi 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 1 
 4 
 2 
 1 
 6 
 
 6 ; 3 
 3 I 1 
 9i 6 
 6 3 
 3 ' 1 
 9i 6 
 6 I 3 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 12i 
 9i 
 6 
 
 15 10* 
 lOi 7 
 7 4 
 9i 
 6 
 4 
 9i 
 6 
 4 
 
 12i 
 9i 
 6 
 
 12* 
 
 9*j 
 6 I 
 
 Remark.— Bastard Cows of all the classes and orders only differ from 
 "free" cows i:i losing their milk almost immediately after a new 
 impregnation. 
 
ESCUTCHEONS. 
 
 89 
 
 ESCUTCHEONS OMITTED IN THE CLASSIFICATION, 
 
 FORMING THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH ORDERS 
 
 OF EACH CLASS. 
 
 FIRST CLASS.— FLANDRINES. 
 
 Seventh and Eiglith Orders. 
 
 SECOND CL \SS.-LEFT-HAND FLANDRINES. 
 
 
 ^Mm\'^ ^^^^<^ 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders 
 
 THIRD CLASS.— SELVEDGE. 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders. 
 
90 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 FOURTH CLASS.— CUKVELINES. 
 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders. 
 
 FIFTH CLASS.— BICORNS. 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders. 
 
 SIXTH CLASS. -DOUBLE SELVEDGE. 
 
 i 
 
 n^KkJ^ a^i^^^ 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders. 
 
EgCUTCHEONS. 
 SEVENTH CLASS.— DEMIJOHNS. 
 
 f If 
 
 If q 
 
 91 
 
 ft^ff^a '^d^kff 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders, 
 
 EIGHTH CLASS.-SQUARE COWS. 
 
 IF 
 
 I 
 
 A.,^Ak« 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders 
 
 NINTH CLASS.— LIMOUSINES. 
 
 I i 
 
 a.^^^^' ^.^m^' 
 
 Seventh and Eighth Orders. 
 
92 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 TENTH CLASS.— CARRESINES. 
 
 Seventh and Eiglitli Orders. 
 
 These supplementary orders being of rather rare oc- 
 currence, I have figured them liero as an appendix to 
 the classification. 
 
 NEW ESCUTCHEONS REFERRED 
 TO IN THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 CROSS OF SELVEDGE AND 
 HAND FLANDRINE. 
 
 LEFT- 
 
 Cows of this description are tol- 
 erably common in certain breeds, 
 and especially those of the north- 
 east of France. 
 
 CROSS OF BICORN AND SELVEDGE. 
 
 The Dart feather, as I call it, 
 which may be seen at n, adhering 
 to the vulva, is a favorable indica- 
 tion, and may occur in any of those 
 classes in which the escutcheon does 
 not reach the vulva. Cows which 
 have either of the escutcheons last 
 given are usually good milkers, and 
 preserve their milk like those of 
 the first orders of each class. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 Summary.— Of Bulls in ft-eneral.— Classification of bulls for breeding.— 
 First Class ; Flaudrine Bulls.— Second Class ; Left-hand Flan- 
 drincs.— Third Class ; Selvedge.— Fourth Class; Cur"elines.— Fifth 
 Class; Bicorns.— Sixth Class; Double Selvedge.— Seventh Class; 
 Demijohns.— Eighth Class; Square.— Ninth Class ; Limousines.— 
 Tenth Class ; Carresiucs. 
 
 OF BULLS IN GENERAL. 
 
 Having described in the preceding chapter the various 
 orders of cows, and explained the manner of distino-uish- 
 ing the bastards of each class, I pass to the distinctive 
 signs found in bulls, which also may be divided into 
 classes and orders. The signs are similar to those of 
 cows, but much more contracted, that is, the surface ex- 
 hibiting them is smaller. In bulls, the escutcheon starts 
 just above, and within the houghs, spreads over the 
 hinder surface of the thighs, and in the higher orders of 
 certain classes, ascends as high as the anus. As with 
 cows, the escutcheons of bulls are modified by the presence 
 of feathers. Those bulls whose escutcheons, in form and 
 dimensions, resemble those of cows of the higher orders, 
 are well adapted to the procreation of offspring of good 
 milking qualities; while those, on the contrary, whose 
 escutcheon is but little developed, will only produce de- 
 generate offspring. 
 
 A bull is well marked, and shows the indications of a 
 
 good calf-getter, when there is no invasion of descending 
 
 hair into the ascending hair of his escutcheon; w^hen the 
 
 escutcheon is of large dimensions, in proportion to the 
 
 (93) 
 
94 MILCH COWS. 
 
 size of the animal, and is covered with, very fine hair. 
 Those which have small escutcheons covered with hair 
 that flares off toward the sides, will beget offspring of 
 bad milking qualities, and yielding poor and watery milk. 
 Every invasion of the escutcheon by descending hair, on 
 the right, left, and inner surface of the thighs, foretells 
 bastardy and degeneration of milking qualities of the off- 
 spring. A yellowish or nankeen color of the skin of the 
 escutcheon, is a favorable indication. A bull of good 
 procreative qualities may occasionally retain his fertility 
 until from ten to fifteen years of age, but these cases are 
 rare exceptions. It is a great mistake to judge the pro- 
 creative powers of a bull by the form, build, and general 
 appearance; experience, or scientifically directed observa- 
 tions alone, can inform us on this point. A bull of good 
 age and condition is able to serve several cows daily, but 
 it is important that he should not be admitted to the fe- 
 male until he has reached the age of fifteen to eighteen 
 months. If he be used too soon, he will exhaust his 
 vigor, and impair his form; his growth and develojoment 
 will be checked. In many provinces the bulls are allowed 
 to serve cows for a period of only twelve or fifteen months; 
 this is especially the case with those animals that are 
 intended for labor or slaughter. 
 
 When the bull has reached the age of from eighteen 
 months to three years, his figure changes, his hind- 
 quarters become relatively narrower, while his fore- 
 quarters are greatly developed, his neck grows thick and 
 massive, etc. If at this period he is castrated, whether 
 by removing the testicles, or cutting the spermatic cords 
 {histournage,) he retains this form, and is less fit for 
 work, and less desirable for butchering. Moreover, when 
 castration is deferred too long, the animal has less ten- 
 dency to fatten, his meat is tough and leathery, although 
 in external apjoearance, in age, and in feeding, he should 
 differ in no respect from animals castrated earlier. 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. 95 
 
 It often happens that bulls of quiet and gentle disposi- 
 tion become fierce and wild after being admitted to the 
 cows. In some provinces a ring of iron, passed through 
 the septum of the nose, is used to control these refractory 
 animals; but where the use of this expedient is not known, 
 castration is the only resource, and if it fails, they must 
 be handed over to the butcher. 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF BULLS. 
 
 Bulls, like cows, may be ranged in ten classes or fami- 
 lies, of which each class comprises several orders, and 
 every order three sizes: large, medium, and small. I 
 shall, however, only distinguish three orders in each class, 
 w^hich I shall designate as Good, Fair, and Bad. If it 
 were desired to carry the subdivision closer, the same 
 distinctions could be observed as in cows. The signs 
 which in a bull indicate the property of procreating off- 
 spring of good milking qualities, are situated in the same 
 region as the signs of the females. The escutcheon starts 
 from the fore-part of the scrotum, extends within and 
 above the houghs, and spreads out upon the thighs, from 
 which point lines, curved, straight, or angular, accord- 
 ing to the class, ascend, and meet below the anus. 
 
 The escutcheon, throughout its wiiole extent, should 
 be marked by fineness of skin and hair, and by a more or 
 less yellow tint of the epidermis and the pellicles, which 
 may be detached from it. 
 
 The secondary signs on cows are also found on the bulls. 
 Bulls have four, and sometimes six, small rudimentary 
 teats, situated in front of the scrotum. On the right and 
 left sides of the belly may be seen two veins analogous to 
 the milk- veins of cows, which, starting from the scrotum, 
 extend a little further forward than the navel, and end in 
 a small cavitv. 
 
96 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Besides the characteristic cigns referred to ahove, a 
 bull for procreation should unite all those qualities which 
 together constitute the pure type of the breed to which 
 he belongs. These are: — 
 
 1. — The color preferred in the breed. 
 
 2. — Size proportioned to the breed, and the regular and 
 typical form and build well established. 
 
 o. — To be of the first order of the class to which he be- 
 longs, that he may transmit the best milking qualities to 
 his progeny. 
 
 4. — Tendency to fatten. 
 
 5. — Suitability for work. 
 
 6. —A gentle and docile disposition. 
 
 Defects of organization, like good qualities, are hered- 
 itary, and unless this cardinal fact be borne in mind, all 
 attempts to imj^rove a breed will be fruitless. 
 
 Down to the present time too httle care and attention 
 have been given to the selection of bulls for reproduction, 
 and the result has been a lamentable degeneration, which 
 should be arrested as promptly as possible. To this end I 
 earnestly invite the attention of the administration, both 
 general and local, to a system capable of rendering so im- 
 portant a service to the country as an increased production 
 of the best animals for the pail and for the butcher. 
 
 In all breeds, the greater number of bulls will be found 
 to belong to the following classes, arranged in order of 
 frequency: — !. Curvelines. 2. Limousines. 3. Carre- 
 sines. 
 
 The classes which will be found to have but few repre- 
 sentatives, are the following: - 4. Demijohns. 5. Bi- 
 corns. 6. Square. 7. Selvedge. 8. Left-hand Flandrines. 
 9. Double Selvedge. 10. Flandrines. 
 
 To explain the reason why bulls of the best reproductive 
 qualities, and belonging to the higher orders of their re- 
 spective classes, are so rare, we must consider, first, their 
 
BULLS AN^D THEIR CLASSIFICATION". 97 
 
 small number as compared with cows, and, secondly, the 
 impossibility which has hitherto existed of recognizing 
 what calves should be saved for the purposes of reproduc- 
 tion. For want of this knowledge the best animals have 
 been, and still are, sent to the butcher, or castrated when 
 young; and, most frequently, those which have been 
 saved for propagation were those least fitted for the 
 purpose. 
 
 For — and this should be noted — animals of the higher 
 orders possess, at the yery birth, those qualities which 
 confer superiority : they are easily roared, and, as the 
 mother has abundance of milk, they soon fatten, and are 
 selected for the butcher; wdiile, on the other hand, calves 
 of lower orders, not fattening well, are not so saleable, 
 and so are allowed to become propagators. From such 
 an unnatural selection and survival of the unfittest, 
 nothing but degeneration can be expected. 
 
 The first thing, therefore, to be done to improve our 
 breeds, is to amend this practice, and to learn to select, 
 at the earliest age, those animals which will transmit 
 good qualities to their offspring. 
 
 FIRST CLASS— FLANDRINE BULLS. 
 
 These bulls haye the escutcheon of the same form as 
 that borne by that class of cows which I have called 
 Flandrines. I place them at the head of the list because 
 they are best fitted to transmit good milking qualities to 
 their progeny; but I must say that they are extremely 
 rare, both in French and foreign breeds ; and in all the 
 districts which I have visited, I have seen but yery few. 
 
 As I have said, I divide each class into three orders. 
 Good, Fair, and Bad. I also distinguish three sizes: — 
 Large animals, by which I mean those which, at full 
 development, will yield five hundred kilogrammes (1,100 
 lbs.) of clear meat, on an average. Medium, or those 
 5 
 
98 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 Tvbich^ under the same conditions, will yield four hundred 
 kilogi'ammes (880 lbs. ). And small, those which will yield 
 from two hundred to two liundred and fifty kilogrammes 
 (440 to 550 lbs). 
 
 I make no distinction between these sizes in my de- 
 scrij^tion of the escutcheons, and I limit my descriptions 
 to the three principal orders of each class, leaving it to 
 experts, if they choose, to determine the degrees interme- 
 diate between Good and Fair, and Fair aud Bad. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 Bulls of this class and order may be recognized by the 
 escutcheon of similar pattern to that of cows of the same 
 
 order and class. It is merely less extended in all its 
 parts, for the reason that the tissues which inclose the 
 generative organs in the bull are less developed than those 
 enveloping the milk-giving apparatus of the cow. The 
 feathers of ascending hair, forming the design, start from 
 the lower part of the scrotum, expand to left and right 
 as they ascend within and above the houghs, spread out 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. 99 
 
 on either side, about midway of the buttocks, to the points 
 a, a, where the outline makes two re-entering angles, and 
 from the middle two lines arise, terminating at the anus 
 with a breadth of from two to three centimetres (0.8 to 
 1.2 in. ) each. 
 
 The skin covering the scrotum should be supple, fine, 
 and covered with a short and silky or cottony hair, rather 
 sparse than thick. The color should be of a shaded, 
 velvety, yellowish tint, such as I have described when 
 speaking of cows. The fine pellicles wdiich may be de- 
 tached from it, should be unctuous to the touch. In a 
 word, in these bulls should be found all the characteristics 
 of the higher orders of cows, as these characteristics in 
 the male indicate the transmission of good milking qual- 
 ities to his progeny. 
 
 SECOND ORDER.— FAIR. 
 
 The escutcheon is less developed and less extended in 
 all its parts : the points, a, a, are lower and nearer 
 together ; the ascending band is nar- 
 rower, with bristling hair, especially 
 on the right side ; only on the left 
 does it rise as high as the anus. On 
 the inside of the thigh, about the 
 middle of the escutcheon, to the 
 right, will be observed an Oval 
 feather, e, of descending hair, from 
 three to four centimetres (1.2 to 1.6 
 in.) wide, by from five to six (2 to 
 2.4 in.) long. This denotes inferior- 
 ity in the progeny, especially when this feather is large, 
 and covered with long, thick hair. 
 
 As a general rule, in all the classes and orders, when this 
 feather is found not merely on one thigh, but on both, 
 the animal should be ranked one or more orders lower, 
 
100 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 according to the size of the feather. For the dimensions 
 of the escutcheon, the second order of bulls may be com- 
 pared with the third or fourth order of cows of the same 
 class. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 The escutcheon is greatly con- 
 tracted; it is limited to the lower 
 part of the thighs, and ascends very 
 little upon the scrotum, a few brist- 
 ling hairs alone indicate its presence. 
 The third order of bulls may be com- 
 pared, with reference to the size of 
 the escutcheon, w^ith the sixth order 
 of cows. 
 
 SECOND CLASS.-LEFT-HAND FLANDRINE BULLS. 
 
 Although rare, these are found more frequently in all 
 breeds than those of the preceding class. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 Bulls of this order and class have all the characteristics 
 of cows of the first order of the second class. 
 
 The escutcheon of ascending hair starts from above the 
 inner surface of the houghs, spreading as it ascends, as 
 far as the middle of the thigh, where it forms angles at 
 the points a, a. It there re-enters upon the inner surface 
 of the thighs, and narrows to a vertical band whicli 
 ascends on the left buttock as high as the anus, and ends 
 with a breadth of from three to four centimetres (1.2 to 
 1.6 in.) On the right side a horizontal line starts from 
 the point a, runs to the juncture of the thighs, where it 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. 
 
 101 
 
 joins the vertical ctripe, and terminates at the middle of 
 the anus. All the characteristics of the hair and skin 
 
 should be the same as those of the first order and first class. 
 
 SECOND ORDER. — FAIR. 
 
 The escutcheon is less developed 
 and smaller than that of the first 
 order: the angles, a, a, are lower, 
 and rounded off. The line of ascend- 
 ing hair on the left thigh disappears 
 when about half-way to the anus. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 The escutcheon, greatly contract- 
 ed, merely forms an oval inclosing 
 the scrotum a few centimetres above 
 the testicles ; from its upper part 
 starts a line of bristling hair, very 
 imperfectly traced, which narrows as 
 it ascends toward the left side of the 
 anus, where it is no longer visible. 
 
102 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 THIRD CLASS.— SELVEDGE BULLS, 
 
 Though by no means numerous, these bulls are more 
 frequently met with than those of the two preceding 
 classes. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 The escutcheon has the same form as that of cows of 
 the second class and order ; it starts from the lower part 
 
 of the scrotum, spreads to each side within the thighs, 
 and ascends, widening, to the points a, a. From these 
 pomts start two re-entering lines running toward the 
 juncture of the thighs to within ten centimetres (i in.) 
 of the median ime, whence start two lines of ascending 
 hair converging to the anus and forming a fillet which at 
 its termination has a breadth of from one to two centi- 
 metres (0.4 to 0.8 in.). 
 
 The character of hair and skin should be the same as 
 in the preceding classes. 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION". 
 
 103 
 
 SECOND ORDER. — FAIR. 
 
 The escutclieon is narrow and 
 less developed; the points a, a, are 
 lowered and rounded. The fillet 
 narrows as it approaches the anus, 
 and is more slen- 
 der than in the 
 preceding order. 
 
 THIRD ORDER.— BAD. 
 
 The escutcheon is still more de- 
 pressed, and terminates above in a 
 thin, broken line, which ends several 
 centimetres below the anus. 
 
 FOURTH CLASS.-CURVELINE BULLS. 
 To this class most bulls in all breeds will be found to 
 belong. 
 
 FIRST ORDER.— GOOD. 
 
 The form of the escutcheon is the same as that of cows 
 
 of the same class ; the larger its extent, the greater the 
 aptitude of the animal to transmit good milking quahties 
 
104 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 to his progeny. The fineness of the ascending hair, supple- 
 ness of the skin, and yellower color, all indicate superiority. 
 
 SECOND ORDER.— FAIR. 
 
 The escutcheon is more contract- 
 ed in all its dimensions, and is more 
 \yithdra\yn with- 
 
 in the thighs. 
 The points, a, a, 
 are rounded and 
 lowered. 
 
 THIRD ORDER.— BAD. 
 
 The escutcheon is now shrunk to 
 
 the space immediately inclosing the 
 
 scrotum. 
 
 FIFTH CLASS.— BICORN BULLS. 
 
 Bulls of this class are not often met with. When they 
 unite all the characteristics of cows of the first order of 
 the class, they are well adapted to produce offspring of 
 good milking qualities. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 Escutcheon the same m pattern as that of cows of the 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATIOX. 105 
 
 first order of the class. Its upper margin is prolonged 
 into two points or horns of ten to twelve centimetres (4 
 to 4.8 in.) in length, by about two (0.8 in.) in width; 
 that on the left is the longer. The nearer these horns 
 approach the anus, and the greater the spread of the 
 lower part of the escutcheon upon 
 the thighs, the better will be the 
 progeny. 
 
 SECOND ORDER. — FAIR. 
 
 Escutcheon lower and more con- 
 tracted in all its 
 parts; left horn 
 higher than the 
 right. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon quite shrunken. The 
 two horns are scarcely distinguish- 
 able, having drawn nearer togetlier, 
 and sunk almost to the scrotum. 
 
 SIXTH CLASS.— DOUBLE SELVEDGE BULLS. 
 
 Bulls of this class are almost as scarce, in all breeds, as 
 the Elandrines, and it would be well to take some pains 
 to look for and preserve them, with a view to the improve- 
 ment of the stock. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 The escutcheon of this class appears at first glance ver}' 
 closely to resemble that of the Elandrines. It is divided 
 into two equal parts by a band of downward-growing hair, 
 which, starting from the anus, descends vertically to the 
 
106 MiLcn cows. 
 
 testicles. The more shari)lj marked this division, and 
 
 the finer the texture and color of the hair and skin, the 
 better the animal. 
 
 SECOND ORDER.— FAIR. 
 
 The lower part of the escutcheon 
 is rounded and depressed ; the left- 
 hand fillet alone ascends to the anus, 
 while that on the right stops mid- 
 way. Both fillets are nearer the 
 median line than in the preceding 
 order. 
 
 THIRD ORDER.— BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon still more depressed, 
 and the fillets narrower and closer 
 than in the preceding order. That 
 on the right ends at about two-thirds 
 the distance from the anus, and that 
 on the left at about one-third. They 
 are, however, in some sort continued 
 bv a few bristlinsr hairs. 
 
BULLS AND TnEIR CLxVSSIFICATION". 107 
 
 SEVENTH CLASS.— DEMIJOHN BULLS. 
 
 Bulls of this class are rather scarce, but are more fre- 
 quently met with than those of the preceding. 
 
 FIRST ORDER.— GOOD. 
 
 The escutcheon is identical with that of cows of the 
 same class and order ; the down which clothes it and the 
 
 perineeum above as high as the amis, is fine, silky, and 
 velvety. The color of the epidermis is yellowish, as is 
 that of the unctuous dust which may be detached from it. 
 Bulls of this order, combining in a high degree the 
 characteristics above mentioned, are 
 well adapted to transmit good milk- 
 ing qualities. 
 
 SECOND ORDER. — FAIR. 
 
 The escutcheon, depressed in all 
 its parts, presents the form of a small 
 obese jar or demijohn. 
 
108 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon still more depressed, 
 and greatly shrunken. Its form is 
 usually irregular. 
 
 EIGHTH CLASS.— SQUAKE BULLS. 
 
 These are still rarer in all breeds than the Bicorns 
 and Demijohns; they are met with, however, now and 
 then, and those of the first order are good propagators. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 The form of the escutcheon is the same in its lower 
 part as that of the Selvedge class; but the band of ascend- 
 
 ing hair is interrupted about six or eight centimetres 
 (2.4 or 3.2 in.) below the anus, and takes the form of a 
 square, or bayonet turned to the left, on which side it 
 
BULLS AN^D THEIR CLASSIFICATION". 
 
 109 
 
 rises as high as the anus. In other respects, the marks 
 are the same as those of cows of the same class and order. 
 
 SECOND ORDER.— FAIR. 
 
 The base of the escutcheon is 
 rounded and depressed, as in the 
 same order of other classes. The line 
 which turns to the left to form the 
 square, starts at about fifteen centi- 
 metres (6 in.) below the anus, and 
 
 ll the point rising like a bayonet, is 
 
 ^^ broken at the upper part. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon still more contracted 
 and depressed; the square scarcely 
 perceptible, and the rising point be- 
 comes a broken line of bristles. 
 
 NINTH CLASS.— LIMOUSINE BULLS. 
 
 These are of frequent occurrence in all races. They can 
 only be considered good when the escutcheon is well de- 
 veloped, and presents the characteristics of the first order. 
 
 FIRST ORDER. — GOOD. 
 
 Form of the escutcheon the same as with cows of the 
 first order of the class. The spear-shaped ascending point 
 should reach within about a decimetre (4 in. ) of the 
 
110 MILCH COWS. 
 
 anus, and be formed of short, fine, and silky hair. The 
 
 skin should have the fineness, color, and unctuous feel of 
 the first orders. 
 
 SECOND ORDER.— FAIR. 
 
 Escutcheon contracted; the angles 
 lower and rounded off; the spear- 
 shaped point is smaller, and more 
 distant from the anus. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon still more depressed, 
 and shrunken in all its parts; it 
 barely incloses the scrotum. 
 
BULLS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION. Ill 
 
 TENTH CLASS.— CAERESINE BULLS. 
 
 These bulls are numerous in all breeds; they are only 
 good when the escutcheon has all the characteristics of 
 that of cows of the first order of this class. 
 
 FIRST ORDER.— GOOD. 
 
 ^ The escutcheon starts from the testicles,, and rises to 
 about a decimetre (4 in.) above the scrotum; a transverse 
 
 line bounds it at the top, reaching to the points a, a, on 
 the thighs. As in the other classes, the hair ascends 
 within and above the houghs, and spreads upon the 
 thighs to the points a, a. Bulls of the first order should 
 have the inner surface and juncture of the thighs of a 
 yellowish color, as in cows of the first order of the same 
 class. 
 
V.2 
 
 MILCH COWS. 
 
 SECOND ORDER. — FAIR. 
 
 The escutcheon preserves the same 
 form and color, but is smaller. Under 
 the point a, on the right side, is 
 found the thigh feather. 
 
 THIRD ORDER. — BAD. 
 
 Escutcheon still more contracted; it only covers the 
 surface of the scrotum, which it 
 seems to separate from the surface 
 above, by a horizontal line. 
 
 I close this chapter, which com- 
 pletes my general classification, with 
 one earnest request to the reader 
 who is seriously interested in the 
 subject, to neglect none of the de- 
 tails which it contains; it is only after 
 having followed up my v/ork from 
 point to point, and familiarized him- 
 self with the application of my method, that he can 
 become a thoroughly qualified judge. 
 
BOOK II. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE FOUR CONDITIONS WHICH ANIMALS OF EITHER 
 SEX SHOULD UNITE TO FORM THE PERFECT TYPE. 
 
 1. — Handsome build and regular proportions. 
 
 2. — Escutcheon of the first order of its class. 
 
 3. — Aptitude for fattening. 
 
 4, — Gentleness of disposition. 
 
 The combination of these quahties forms the perfect 
 type. 
 
 (113) 
 
CHAPTER 11. 
 
 OF HANDSOME AND UGLY TYPES. 
 
 Summary. — Handsome Types. — Ugly Types. — Conclusion. — Points of 
 a handsome Type. 
 
 HANDSOME TYPES. 
 
 That attraction which beauty of form exercises upon 
 us, at the first glance, is a thing which no one can con- 
 temn; yet abundant experience has shown that in many 
 respects the goodness of an animal is independent of its 
 beauty. On the other hand, it is true that extreme ugli- 
 ness borders very closely on certain defects of conforma- 
 tion, the transmission of which to the progeny is to be 
 feared, and should be avoided if possible. 
 
 In certain localities, preference is given to particular 
 forms, colors, configuration of head or horns, etc., and 
 types which unite these peculiarities, are those which 
 breeders aim at perpetuating. But, as I have said before, 
 the perfection and extent of the milk escutcheon, the de- 
 velopment of the manets (described hereafter), the muscu- 
 lar strength, or fitness for work, and docility of disposi- 
 tion, should be more regarded than mere beauty of form. 
 
 Still there is a type of bovine beauty which all judges 
 recognize. All agree in admiring those animals, of either 
 sex, which have a straight back, wide shoulders and loins, 
 haunches not too prominent, slender bones, round sides, 
 short and full neck, narrow flanks. Tail thick at its root, 
 and thin near the switch, well set on, neither too high nor 
 too low. Houghs flat, broad, a little arched backwards. 
 Buttocks round, thigh well thickened down toward the 
 hough. Fore-legs well set apart, and very slightly bent in- 
 wards (knock-kneedj. Chest wide and deep, well carried 
 forward, and developed at the curve about twenty centi- 
 (114) 
 
OF HANDSOME AND UGLY TYPES. 115 
 
 metres (8 iu. ) from the knee. Dewlap of medium size, 
 and handsome shape. Head short and square. Eyes large 
 and prominent. Nostrils wide. Muzzle fine and slightly 
 turned up (camard). Lips small and regular. Ear furry, 
 with long hairs in the interior (a sign of strength and 
 energy)— finally, an unctuous epidermis. Horns fine, and 
 of medium length, and the tuft between the horns not 
 very long-haired. 
 
 UGLY TYPES. 
 
 Those animals are displeasing to the eye, which have 
 protuberences on the back, flat sides, long flanks, thin 
 thighs. The croupe swollen out, or hollowed ont. Head 
 long or too stumpy, pointed muzzle. Horns disproportion- 
 ately large, and long. Projecting bones. Narrow chest. 
 Too much dewlap or none. Hind-legs too much bent or 
 too straight. Hoofs flattened out as if crushed by the 
 heavy and clumsy tread. It is true that an individual 
 may have these deformities, and yet possess valuable 
 qualities; but in breeding these types should be shunned, 
 as the progeny will be degenerate. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 In breeding we should select animals of the handsom- 
 est type. In young animals we look for slender legs, 
 round feet, hoofs and false hoofs {onglo7is) short, whfch 
 predict a great development in size. Thin and flexible 
 skin, fine hair, bristling a little, or cottony, silky, or 
 curly, are indications of good health, and a gentle, docile 
 disposition. To facilitate the student in his examina- 
 tions, I here subjoin a synopsis of the physical character- 
 istics or points, which should be found in animals of 
 either sex of the finest types, and belonging to the first 
 orders of their respective classes. The order followed, 
 is that usually observed in the examination of the animal. 
 
116 MILCH COWS. 
 
 POINTS OF THE HANDSOME TYPE. 
 
 1. — Skin of tlie color most esteemed in the particular 
 breed. 
 
 2. — Size proi)ortionate. 
 
 3. — Escutcheon of the first order. 
 
 4. — Epidermis of escutcheon fine and yellowish. 
 
 5. — Udder round, well shaped, and teats regular. 
 
 6. — Spine straight and level. 
 
 7. — Bones slender. 
 
 8. — The whole hide thin and flexible. 
 
 9. — Loins wide. 
 10. — Haunches not too prominent. 
 11. — Tail well set on, thick at the root, and slender at 
 the switch. 
 
 12. — Croupe neither too high nor too low. 
 
 13. — Buttocks round. 
 
 14. — Thighs low and muscular. 
 
 15. — Sides round. 
 
 16. — Flanks narrow. 
 
 17. — Shoulders wide. 
 
 18. — Dewlap of medium size. 
 
 19. — Chest large, deep, and well rounded. 
 
 20. — Neck short and of medium thickness. 
 
 21. — Head short and square. 
 
 22. — Ears of medium size and hairy within. 
 
 23. — Eyes large and j^rominent. 
 
 24. — Horns medium. 
 
 25. — Tuft between the horns not too hairy. 
 
 26. — Nostrils wide. 
 
 27. — Muzzle short and a little turned up. 
 
 28. — Lips rather thin. 
 
 29. — Houghs flat, wide, not too much arched backward. 
 
 30. — Legs fine and straight. 
 
 31. — False hoofs short. 
 
 32. — Feet round. 
 
CHAPTEE III. 
 THE "MANETS," OR FATTY LUMPS. 
 
 Summary.— Description of the Manets.— The shoulder-vein.— The fore- 
 thigh.— The fore-udder.— The mid-butlock.— The scrotum.— The 
 -pelvic margin.— Tlie collar-vein.— The chest.— The rib.— The 
 flank.— The loin.— The haunch.— The neck-vein.— The earlet.— 
 The under-jaw— General remarks. 
 
 THE MANETS. 
 
 These are agglomerations of fat, of various forms, em- 
 bedded in the subcutaneous cellular tissue. They may 
 be soft or hard, fixed or moyable. Each has a certain 
 signification of value in estimating the aptitude of an ani- 
 mal for fattening, and its existing condition of fat. Al- 
 though animals bred under similar circumstances may 
 present, at a first inspection, no differences of form, yet an 
 examination of these manets may point out to us great 
 differences, or enable us to rectify an erroneous judg- 
 ment. An animal may be lean and bony, and yet be 
 well adapted for fattening, while another has a fleshy ap- 
 pearance, and yet is of poor quality when slaughtered. 
 As a general rule, the primitive races which have fur- 
 nished the original types of each class, have an aptitude 
 for fattening; nevertheless we meet in all breeds ani- 
 mals which are exceptionally well or ill fitted to take on 
 fat. The germ of the tendency to fatten exists in the 
 cellular tissues, which lie between the skin and the flesh, 
 and extend inwardly into the less muscular parts of the 
 animal. In these tissues are formed lumps, or agglom- 
 erations of fat, technically called ''manets.-' They are of 
 (117) 
 
118 MILCH COWS. 
 
 various forms and thicknesses, some ronnd, others flat or 
 elongated, and they vary m thickness according to the 
 greater or less fatness of the animal, and its greater or 
 less tendency to take on fat. 
 
 Those animals which will yield tender, fat, and juicy- 
 meat, have a thin skin, and dappled, fine, and short hair. 
 The flesh below shows through the delicate skin, and 
 sometimes presents as appetizing an appearance as a 
 freshly gathered peach. Those, on the contraiw, whose 
 tissues do not form fat, have a dry, hard, and thick skinj 
 their meat is dry, tough, and less nutritious. The pres- 
 ence of the manets, however small they may be, is a test 
 of the superiority of the animal, and they may easily be 
 detected under the skin, by compressing it with the tips 
 of the fingers. As they develop in proportion to the in- 
 crease of fat, it is easy to determine by comparison those 
 animals which will fatten most readily. As an example, 
 I will suppose an individual of medium fatness, and the 
 manet to be examined, to be that which T call the shoul- 
 der-vein. 
 
 This can be detected as soon as it is formed ; even when 
 no thicker than a bit of twine, it can be felt to roll 
 between the skin and the flesh; and will perceptibly grow 
 as the animal fattens. When it has reached the thick- 
 ness of the little finger, we may be sure that the flesh is 
 of good quality ; if it enlarges still further, to the thick- 
 ness of the thumb, or thicker, the improvement is still 
 greater, and the meat will be, both as to quantity and 
 quality, all that can be desired. 
 
THE MANETS, OR FATTY LUMPS. 
 
 119 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE MANETS. 
 
 The entire number of these manets is fifteen, viz. : 
 
 1. — The Shoulder- vein Manet. 
 
 2.— The Fore-Thigh Manet. 
 
 3.— The Fore-Udder Manet. 
 
 4.— The Mid-Buttock Manet. 
 
 5. — The Scrotum Manet. 
 
 6.— The Pelvic Basin Manet. 
 
 7.— The Collar-yein Manet. 
 
 8.— The Chest Manet. 
 
 9.— The Side Manet. 
 10.— The Flank Manet. 
 11.— The Loin Manet. 
 12.— The Haunch Manet. 
 13.— The Neck-vein Manet. 
 14.— The Earlet Manet. 
 15. — The Under- Jaw Manet. 
 
 The most important of these on the cow are Nos. 1, 2, 
 3, 4, and 6. On the bullock, Nos. 1, 2, 5, and 6. Upon 
 these we chiefly found our judgment, the others have 
 but a secondary value in confirming their indications. 
 
120 MILCH COWS. 
 
 1.— THE SHOULDER-YEIN. 
 
 This is found upon the shoulder-blade, near its upper 
 posterior margin, and descends vertically as far as the 
 joint of the leg. It is flexible, rather long than round, 
 and can be felt by pressing with the fingers. That on 
 the left is usually longer than the other. (In comparing 
 animals, the same sides should be examined.) On steers 
 or cows of the first quality, it seems to the touch to have 
 a thickness of about five centimetres (2 in.), of three 
 (1.2 in.) on those of second quality, and one (0.4 in.) on 
 the third. On lean animals it is not easily distinguished. 
 
 2.— THE FORE-THIGH. 
 
 This is flexible to tlie touch, and is found on both sides, 
 that on the right being the larger. It is situated on the 
 fore-part of the thigh, in the fold of skin that joins the 
 belly, and extends upon the belly at the lower part of the 
 flank. It is rather flat than round. In a fat animal it 
 can be distinctly seen in walking. When the leg is 
 brought forward, it rises under the skin like a ball ; but 
 the thickness can best be determined by grasping it. The 
 fatness of the animal will always be in proportion to its 
 thickness. In large animals in fine condition it has three 
 decimetres (12 in.) in length, two (8 in.) in width, and 
 one (4 in.) in thickness. In animals of second and third 
 quality, it will have two-thirds and one-third of these 
 dimensions. 
 
 3.— THE FORE-UDDER. 
 
 This is only found upon cows : it is situated on the belly, 
 between the navel and the udder, to which it adheres. 
 It is flexible, flat, and rounded a little in the middle. 
 Its size, for the first quality, is two to three decimetres 
 (8 to 12 in.) long, by two and one-half (10 in.) wdde, and 
 one (4 in. ) thick. In animals of second and third qual- 
 ity, it is one-third and tw^o-thirds smaller. 
 
THE MANETS, OR FATTY LUMPS. 121 
 
 4.— THE MID-BUTTOCK. 
 
 This also is peculiar to females : it is situated at the 
 juncture of the thighs, between the buttocks, and rises 
 vertically to the vulva. Its form is that of a cord, and it 
 is flexible when the animal is about half-fattened. On a 
 fat cow it is firm and hard, and if compressed transversely, 
 gives a thickness of from seven to eight centimetres (2.8 
 to 3.2 in.) for the first quality, four to five (1.6 to 2 m.) 
 for the second, and one to two (0.4 to 0.8 in.) for the third. 
 
 5.— THE SCROTUM. 
 
 This is the manefc which should first be looked for in 
 the examination of bullocks. 
 
 Those animals which have had the spermatic cords cut 
 {le bistouniage), have testicles about 
 the size of a walnut, embedded m a 
 mass of fat, which is full, hard, and 
 firm in beeves of the first quality. 
 Those in which the scrotum hangs 
 low, approaching near the houghs, 
 are preferred. Animals castrated by 
 removal of the testicles, have the 
 juncture of the thighs placed higher 
 up. With them this manet is neither 
 so large nor so low, and to determine 
 its volume, it must be grasped in the hand. The quality of 
 the animal will be in proportion to its size and firmness. 
 
 6.— THE PELVIC MARGIN. 
 
 This occupies the space on each side of the root of the 
 tail; it is rather flat than round, and must be felt to be 
 estimated. In animals of the first quality it has a thick- 
 ness of a decimeter (4 in.), in the second, six centi- 
 metres (2.4 in.), and in the third, two to three centi- 
 metres (0.8 to 1.2 in.). It indicates the quantity of sub- 
 cutaneous fat. 
 6 
 
122 MILCH COWS. 
 
 7.— TUE COLLAR- VEIN. 
 
 This is flexible and rolling; it is situated at the upper 
 front margin of the shoulder, and forms a kind of round 
 vein, in a vertical position, of from two to three deci- 
 metres (8 to 12 in.) in length. It is judged by com- 
 pressing it crosswise in the middle, and for the first qual- 
 ity should have a thickness of from four to five centi- 
 metres (1.6 to 2 in.), for the second, a third less, and for 
 the third quality, two-thirds less. It indicates the 
 quantity of internal fat. 
 
 8.— THE CHEST. 
 
 This is found on the bony part of the sternum or 
 brisket, in front, between the forelegs. It is always 
 formed of firm fat, and indicates the general plumpness of 
 the animal. The thickness for the first quality is from 
 twelve to fifteen centimetres (4.8 to 6 in.), for the sec- 
 ond, from eight to nine (3.2 to 3.6 in.), and for the 
 third, from three to four (1.2 to 1.6 in.). 
 
 9. — THE RIB. 
 
 This is flat, and placed on the last false ribs, near the 
 flank. Its thickness for the first and second qualities is 
 two centimetres (0.8 in.) and one centimetre (0.4 in.), 
 on the third it is scarcely perceptible. 
 
 10.— THE FLANK. 
 
 This, called " the crust" by butchers, forms a layer of 
 fat between the -skin and flesh, and is characterized by 
 small, soft, flat pellets of fat, rather long than round. It 
 can be perceived by the undulating surface of the skin 
 above it, and denotes the general state of plumpness. Its 
 thickness is, for the respective qualities, two to three 
 centimetres (0.8 to 1.2 in.), one and a half (0.6 in.), and 
 one-half (0.2 in.). 
 
THE MAKETS, OR FATTY LUMPS. 123 
 
 11.— THE LOIN. 
 
 This manet, between the loins and the sides, presents 
 a firm surface, called ''the fat pavement" by butchers. 
 On pinching between the tips of the fingers, it presents a 
 thickness of two centimetres (0.8 in.) for the first quality. 
 
 13.— THE HAUNCH. 
 
 This is firm to the touch, and is found on the project- 
 ing part of the haunch, between the skin and the bone. 
 For the first quality it shows a thickness of two and a half 
 centimetres (1 in.). 
 
 13.— THE NECK- VEIN. 
 
 This lies along the jugular vein, and presents a sort of 
 loose cord, which easily rolls under the fingers. For the 
 first quality it has a thickness of from four to five centi- 
 metres (1.6 to 2 in.), for the second, from two to three 
 (0.8 to 1.2 m.), and for the third, from one to two (0.4 to 
 0.8 in.). It denotes internal fat. 
 
 14. — THE EARLET. 
 
 This is short and of oval form, lying between the ear 
 and the horn. It rolls loosely about under the skin, and 
 may be compressed between the thumb and finger. For 
 the first quality, it shows five to six centimetres (2 to 2.4 
 in.) thickness, two to three (0.8 to 1.2 in.) for the sec- 
 ond, and one (0.4 in.) for the third. 
 
 15.— THE UNDER- JAW. 
 
 This is rather long than round, and lies in the bifurca- 
 tion of the lower jaw. It may be felt crosswise with the 
 fingers. Its thickness for the first quality is four to five 
 centimetres (1.6 to 2 in.), three (1.2 in.) for the second, 
 and one (0.4 in.) for the third. 
 
124 MiLcn cows. 
 
 GENERAL REMARKS. 
 
 The size of the manets is proportioned to the fatness of 
 the animal. Those which are firmest to the touch, indi- 
 cate the finest quality of meat and greatest abundance of 
 suet. 
 
 "Whatever may be the size, the age, and the weight, 
 cows and beeves of the first quality will give about four- 
 teen to sixteen kilogrammes of tallow to the hundred 
 kilogrammes of clear meat, the second quality from eight 
 to ten, and the third from three to four. In this estimate 
 I refer to the fat of the belly and intestines, not including 
 the kidney-fat, which always goes Avith the hindquarters. 
 
 Bulls, as a rule, furnish a coarse and leathery meat, 
 and have but little internal fat. The meat of fat heifers 
 of from two to three years and a half, is usually of excel- 
 lent quality; while at this age that of male animals is 
 much inferior. The male does not attain his full devel- 
 opment and perfect qualities until from six to eleven 
 years. But it is not only sufficient that an animal should 
 be fat, its fat and suet should be white, to make it of the 
 first quality. 
 
 Those animals will give white fat which have the epi- 
 dermis of the whole body white, or cafe-au-lait color; 
 while those that show a yellow or pale orange epidermis 
 will yield yellow fat. These colors sometimes depend 
 upon the feeding; but in most cases they arise from the 
 nature of the animal itself. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 DOCILITY OF DISPOSITION. 
 
 By persistent and intelligent action, man has succeeded 
 in domesticating various animals, among which the 
 bovine species stands in the first rank, of which he has 
 made a most valuable coadjutor in his toilsome labors, 
 and a precious source of supply of his daily food. Buffon 
 said, long ago: ^^ Without the bovine species, both poor 
 and rich would find it difficult to live : without it the 
 land would lie untilled, upon it fall the hardest labors of 
 agriculture. It is the most useful laborer on the farm, 
 the main support of the rustic household, the principal 
 force in agriculture, and the chief resource of a nation." 
 
 But cow and bull can not serve man perfectly, nor ful- 
 fill all his expectations, unless in addition to the three 
 other qualities which I have dwelt upon, they possess a 
 fourth : docility of disposition. 
 
 Like other creatures, these animals are born not only 
 with good qualities, but also with defects, which, happily 
 in most cases, can be overcome. Their education must 
 begin at an early age; good and careful treatment will 
 improve their disposition, but will not always entirely 
 reform it. To attain this object great firmness and great 
 gentleness are both necessary. Ill treatment generally 
 results in rendering the animals ill-tempered, wild, or 
 fierce. Some animals which have been subdued by a firm 
 will, will only submit to the master who has conquered 
 them, Avhile in any other hands they are insubordinate 
 and wild. Their natural disposition has been restrained, 
 but not changed, and under altered conditions it shows 
 in full force. 
 
 The male is naturally more intractable than the female, 
 and at the rutting-time he often becomes unmanageable, 
 and even fierce, and this disposition increases with age. 
 (125) 
 
126 MILCH COWS. 
 
 To subdue him, man has recourse to one of the modes of 
 emasculation (castration ou Mstournage), after which the 
 animal becomes tractable, obedient, and fit for work. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 MEANS OF RECOGNIZING THE AGE OF CATTLE. 
 
 Summary.— The Teeth.— The Horns, 
 THE TEETH. 
 
 All the animals of this species are born with incisors, 
 called '^ milk-teeth," which fall and are renewed at the 
 periods which I shall mention. Calves born toothless 
 are premature. 
 
 Bovine animals have thirty- two teeth, of which twenty- 
 four are grinding- teeth, or molars, and eight are cutting- 
 teeth, or incisors. 
 
 The molars serve for grinding the food in eating and in 
 rumination ; they are regularly distributed in four groups 
 of six each, solidly planted. Two of these groups of 
 molars form the entire dentition of the upper jaw, in which 
 there are no incisors, but their place is filled by a mass 
 of elastic cartilage forming a firm pad. The two other 
 groups occupy the back of the lower jaw, and are 
 separated by a space of about four inches, in which are 
 planted the incisors. 
 
 The eight incisors in the front part of the lower jaw 
 complete the dentition. They are grouped in a semi- 
 circle, the middle ones being somewhat higher than those 
 at the extremities. They are usually rather loose in the 
 jaw, having but a single root. 
 
RECOGNIZIJ^G THE AGE OF CATTLE. 127 
 
 At from two to two and a half years, the central 
 incisors are lost, and replaced by the permanent teeth. 
 From this time to three years, the two adjoining teeth 
 are lost; six months later, the third incisors of each side; 
 and at about four years the corner ones, all being re- 
 placed as they fall by the permanent teeth. It happens 
 sometimes, but rarely, that the corner incisors are not 
 lost. 
 
 When the permanent incisors have all appeared, the 
 animal is rising five years. The molars of both jaws have 
 been lost at about the same time, the four corresponding 
 ones falling together, and being replaced by new ones. 
 During this second dentition, and especially when cutting 
 the permanent molars, the animal suffers more or less 
 and eats with difficulty. It is well, if the suffering seems 
 severe, or continues long, to have the loose tooth extracted 
 by a skillful hand. 
 
 At five years, the teeth are usually complete and regu- 
 lar, the incisors forming a semicircle, of which the corner 
 teeth are lower than those of the center. The upper sur- 
 face of the tooth presents a sharp, projecting ring of 
 enamel. After seven or eight years this symmetry is 
 altered, the central incisors wearing down to about the 
 height of the corners. After nine years, the enamel ring 
 is worn down, the angles of the teeth show attrition, and 
 the forms grow rounder. At from ten to twelve years, 
 spaces begin to show between the teeth. At from four- 
 teen to seventeen they are worn down to the roots, leav- 
 ing wide interstices; the alveolar processes begin to be 
 absorbed, and the teeth grow loose. 
 
 The rapidity of these changes depends to some degree 
 upon the mode of life and the food of the animal. In 
 heaths and sandy land the teeth wear out much faster, 
 and animals raised in them may have the teeth quite worn 
 away before they are old. In fertile pasturages, the teeth 
 are preserved longer; but the dryness and perishing of 
 
128 :»iiLCH cows. 
 
 the ivory occur at the ages above mentioned. When the 
 incisors begin to fall, the animals have difficulty in graz- 
 ing, and if intended for fattening, must be fed in the 
 stall. Similar inconveniences follow the loss of one or 
 more molars : the animal grinds its food with difficulty, 
 and the jaw becomes more or less deformed. 
 
 Animals of this species are also subject to '^ wolf- 
 teeth," which term is applied to teeth (usually the second 
 molars) which grow long and pointed, interfering with 
 the closure of the jaws and hindering mastication. Ani- 
 mals thus affected feed with difficulty, and are apt to 
 pine away. The position of these teeth makes it difficult 
 to inspect them ; but when discovered, the tooth should 
 be cut or snapped off to the level of the rest. 
 
 The tongue also plays its part in feeding, gathering in 
 the herbage to the mouth, Avhere the incisors cut it off 
 by pressure of their edges against the pad. 
 
 THE HORNS. 
 
 In animals which have reached the age of three years, 
 the horn has a ridge or ring at the base, and a new one is 
 formed every year below the old one. But the number of 
 these rings can not be relied upon in estimating the age, 
 as it sometimes happens that in an old animal these rings 
 are so blended that they can not be counted. In youth 
 the horns are thickest at the base, and taper to a point; 
 but when the animal has reached eight or ten years, a nar- 
 rowing often takes place at tlie base, obliterating several 
 rings. This is often the case with animals used for labor, 
 as the pressure of the yoke and the friction of the parts 
 which attach it to the horns, wear away the rings. The 
 appearance of the horns is therefore a much more uncer- 
 tain guide than that of the teeth, in estimating age; 
 still, it should not be entirely neglected. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE FEET. 
 
 The form of the feet is an indication of the nature of 
 the place in which the animal has been reared. In stony 
 regions the hoof grows round, and wears away; on the 
 contrary in soft, moist, and marshy districts, the hoofs 
 lengthen and flatten out, and the same effect is produced 
 by confinement to the stable. The round hoof is a very 
 desirable quality. 
 
 The false hoofs, commonly called ^^ spurs" {onglons), 
 when short, indicate that the young animal has a ten- 
 dency to grow very large. If they are long or deformed, it 
 shows that the animal has been raised in the stable, and 
 will not readily accommodate itself to work or an open- 
 air life. 
 
 Continued stall-feeding renders the feet so tender that 
 after some years the animal can take no exercise, nor even 
 comfortably wander over the pasture. The foot grows 
 long and thick, and the creature is entirely unfitted for 
 work or for driving to any distance. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 ON THE CHOICE OF COWS. 
 
 The intending purchaser of a cow must be on his guard 
 against a great variety of frauds and deceptions. When 
 he has found an animal whose size, general figure, and 
 color suit him, he should then examine the escutcheon, 
 see to what class she belongs, and if she possesses the 
 marks distinguishing the higher oi4ers of the class. Care 
 (129) 
 
130 MILCH COWS. 
 
 must be taken not to be deceived by a false escutcheon, 
 as dealers sometimes shave the hair from a part of the 
 thighs and udder, so as to give an escutcheon of a low 
 order the apj^earance of a higher. The yellowish or nan- 
 keen color is often imitated by staining the skin. 
 
 If the cow is with calf, the buyer should see if she still 
 gives milk, and satisfy himself of the length of time she 
 has been pregnant. If she be fresh, he must satisfy him- 
 self of the time elapsed since calving, if the delivery was 
 satisfactory, and if there has been no inversion of the 
 womb. 
 
 These examinations made, he can bargain for the price, 
 and when a sum has been named which he is willing to 
 give, he has a right to proceed to a more minute exam- 
 ination. He should make the cow walk before him, to 
 see that her gait is e&sy and free. He should examine the 
 muzzle, to see if it is moist and dewy, which is a sign of 
 good health. He should open the mouth, to verify the age 
 by the teeth, and to see that there are no aphthse or 
 ulcerations at the base of the tongue. He should notice 
 if the breath is fresh and pure. Examine the eyes, to see 
 if no humors are running from them, if there are no 
 specks on the cornea, if the vessels are not blood-shot, if 
 the pupil contracts, and the eyelids close readily. 
 
 He should examine the horns, to see if they are solid 
 and have not been stained or operated on to conceal the 
 marks of age. In the case of an animal intended for 
 work, he should see that there are no wounds nor bruises 
 on the nape of the neck or between the horns. He should 
 also examine tho forelegs, to make sure that there are no 
 tumors, soft or hard, upon them, that the false hoofs are 
 sound, and that there is no exudation in the space be- 
 tween them, nor in the folds of the pastern. 
 
 He will see if the hair is soft, the skin flexible and 
 loose from the muscles. He will trace down all the ribs 
 and false ribs, to see if there be any sign of wounds or 
 
ON THE CHOICE OF COWS. 131 
 
 of costal or umbilical hernias. Coming to the hind-quar- 
 ters, he will examine if the udder be elastic and fleshy. If 
 the teats are well shaped, not too near, and separated by 
 regular intervals. If the ^'fountains" (cavities at the 
 termination of the milk-veins) and the milk-veins are 
 long, w^ll-marked, and the latter tortuous. He will ex- 
 amine the vulva for ulcerations, and the hindlegs, as 
 before he examined the forelegs. 
 
 I advise persons desirous of buying a milch cow to 
 choose one nearly ready to calve, rather than one that is 
 milking, as in the latter case there are more oppor- 
 tunities for deception. The udder of milch-cows offered 
 for sale often appears of great size, when this is merely 
 the result of leaving tlie cows un milked for twenty-four 
 hours; thus not only deceiving the buyer, but often injur- 
 ing the animal, or diminishing its regular yield of milk, 
 which is not recovered until a new calving, and some- 
 times not even then, if inflammation of the udder has 
 resulted from this cruel trick. 
 
 If the system of examination which I have recommended 
 be carefully carried out, the buyer can hardly be deceived 
 very grossly, and will in all probability, even without 
 previous experience, be able to select a good cow. 
 
 ■'~ " f « 
 
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