Feb., 1918] Cattle Temperament 143 



DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. 



The purpose of this study was primarily to try to establish a 

 method whereby the nervous activity of cattle, or so-called 

 "dairy temperament," might be measured. The results as 

 given would indicate that by means of the pneumographic 

 tracings the various nervous activities of cattle can be measured 

 and placed upon a quantitative basis. Under the three condi- 

 tions mentioned, the results point to the conclusions that 

 animal Five H was the most nervous, next Two H, then 

 Three H, and Seven H the least nervous. All the subjects 

 reacted similarly, differing only in the degree of intensity of 

 nervous reaction. And from the degree of intensity of nervous 

 reaction arose the conclusions as to which animal was the 

 more nervous. 



Throughout the discussion, the term "temperament" and 

 "dairy temperament" have been avoided as much as possible, 

 and the term nervous acitivit}^ used instead. Nervous activity 

 or reactiveness as shown b}^ these results, is the response to 

 every-day stimuli through external and internal sensory con- 

 nections with the respiratory center. As has been mentioned 

 in the introduction, temperament, by definition is a mental 

 condition or development. Now "dairy temperament," today 

 is usually defined as a "predisposing tendency to convert food 

 into milk." We are not satisfied that this definition has any 

 quantitative basis. It is simply a deduction made from a 

 combination of physical characteristics. Our work takes no 

 cognizance of physical characteristics or outward indications, it 

 deals only with the actual reactiveness of the animal. Physical 

 characteristics as applied to "dairy temperament" have not 

 been standardized, since they mean different things to different 

 men, and what one man may call a prominent eye, another may 

 not consider as such. It would be better then to speak of 

 desirable physical characteristics, as dairy form, etc., alone, and 

 not involve them with "dairy temperament." Instead of using 

 this latter term, it might be better to speak of the degree of 

 nervous activity or reactiveness which an animal possess. 



Whether this study, if continued, will produce results of 

 importance remains to be seen, but it is to be hoped that an 

 interest in this special line of experimentation may be developed 

 that will pave the way for further investigation. The conclu- 



