Why on earth would anyone want to look under a calf’s tail? Other than to see if it’s a bull or heifer calf.
Let’s investigate the concept, and why! Escutcheons Is today’s subject!
First lets look at a few… then we will talk about it!
Every animal has one, they are shaped differently, so which is BEST?
Many of these are not real wide. But every one has a strong presence.
Wrinkles in the Escutcheon has meaning also!
This photo is a little low, but shows the udder of a beef cross mature cow
You can clearly see the Escutcheon on this young calf. They are born with this, and it does not change.
F. Gueon wrote a whole chapter in his book printed in the 1880’s about Escutcheon on cows in his book “Milch Cow”
He speaks of ascending and descending “feathers” (hair that lay up or down in the yellowish space below the vulva to the udder.
I have run into folks who doubt my education, but I assure you, I know what I am speaking of. The information is part of the records by Jan Bonsma, Gerald Fry, Steve Campbell, and others.
This is one of the best diagrams I have found. There are a number of points on the escutcheon that are significant. But one of the keys is how WIDE it is. the cow in the 2d is significantly better than the top one. Now that you know what you are looking for, take some time to learn more, and dig deeper.
Quality cows are key to any successful herd.