The cow and her kind contribute more to man's welfare than any other domestic animal. "She gives us milk, our most important food, to drink; she provides us with butter and cheese, both wholesome and rich in food nutriments ; her flesh enters largely into our dietaries; the leather made of her hide covers our feet and provides us with necessities and luxuries in other directions; and finally her bones, blood and offal fertilize our gardens and fields."
In addition to food and protection the labor of cattle has maintain generous harvests. The first crooked stick used as a plow was fastened to the horn of a bull and not to a leather thong attached to the shoulder of a horse. Horses when first domesticated were used to ride, not to work. The cow labored in the fields to raise vegetable products, yielded up her milk at night time to give drink and when needed submitted her carcass as flesh for food.
Tajima cattle at a farm in northern Hyogo Prefecture (Kobe). If its meat ends up with a sufficient grade, it will be sold as Kobe beef. |
Cattle are raised either for the milk or the flesh stored up in their bodies as meat. This gives rise to two classes; milk cows and beef cattle. The milkers may be used after a time for beef, but if long used as milk producers little is expected of them as producers of beef. The most generous milkers during their careers give out their food forces so abundantly, that as old age approaches, there is little left, either of nerve force or flesh. The cows kept for the shambles render their service by storing abundant fat on their sides and much lean meat on their backs and loins. This flesh is solid and elastic, mellow and yet firm. The tender flesh for meat is found on those parts of the steer where there was the least movement during its life, as, for instance, the loins and the sides. The parts of least value are about the head, neck and legs.
Before men were interested in cattle breeding as a primary work there was no large production of milk by any single individual. It was only expected that a cow yielded milk enough for the nourishment of her new-born calf until it might be able to support itself. The large production of dairy cows today is an artificial development. During the lapse of centuries, cows were saved for the dairy because of their tendency to give much milk, or to give milk of a rich quality. The milk-yielding capacity of breeds was not achieved in one generation or in five; it is the outcome of many centuries. Once this quality becomes the habit of the breed or the family or the individual, it cannot be discarded.
To the practical eye there are several indications of the milky tendencies in dairy cows. These are known to be the wedge-like shape of the body when observed from the front, side or rear; the wide spacing of the eyes; the fine, narrow forequarters and broad, spacious hindquarters; the springing ribs, long and wide apart; the refined feminine countenances ; the hair, silk-like and smoothly laid on the skin, which itself is fine, mellow and soft to the touch. In addition to these characteristics the stomach should be prominent, the udder large and not flabby or fleshy, with medium large teats, evenly set; and extending forward along the abdomen should be strong, tortuous milk veins, which, carried internally, are admitted by means of large milk wells. The dairy cow is angular, lithe, thin ; she gives off the nutriment of her food as milk and does not lay it on her skeleton as fat or flesh. She is a dairy philanthropist; she gives away the product she manufactures.
Beef cattle different. On the other hand beef animals are meat misers. They hold fast to the assimilated products of their food. On the several parts of their sturdy frames they store fat and protein as if they were providing for rainy days or for times when the food years might be lean. Unlike their dairy cousins, they supply only small quantities of milk, or milk with little butter fat in it. The production of milk is only an incident : they are willing usually to secrete milk enough to support an offspring for a short time, but that duty performed they selfishly proceed along their chosen road of growing bigger and fatter.
This tendency of making beef was long ago observed by cattle breeders and early made use of by them in the service of the human race. Beef was a tasty dish; it served as useful food and was demanded in increasingly large quantities. If races of cattle were more willing to manufacture beef than milk, then their disposition would be allowed a free and easy course. And today the business of making beef is one of the largest of human activities.
The steer that will fatten readily is lowset, deep, broad and compact rather than angular, long-legged, gaunt, narrow and loosely put together. The broad, 'compact form indicates good constitution. Low-set animals are good feeders. When viewing individuals from the side, those of ideal beef conformation show a surprising evenness along the back and abdomen: the top and under lines are nearly parallel. Prominent hips, tail, head and shoulders are avoided, as smoothness of outline insures more and better beef. A good quality of beef is required at the dinner table; this character is externally indicated by a smooth, refined head, fine bones, thin skin and a covering of silk-like hair. The skin should be loose and mellow. Steer efficiency is indicated by a wide, deep chest, long and well-sprung ribs, compactness of form and fineness of bone.
Beef milk vs. dairy cow milk by SUNUPTV.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your thoughts. All comments are moderated. Spam is not published. Have a good day!