DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 



229 



V_^ 



OUTLINE ( a ) Escutcheon; ( b ) Exlent of udder, on both rear end side views. 

 NOTES ON ESCUTCHEON AND UDDER. 



It is hoped that we may have the cooperation of various 

 breeders of dairy cattle in the state in this work. Plans are 

 under way by which it is hoped that it will be possible to obtain 

 these measurements on every animal undergoing test for ad- 

 vanced registry in thisi state. If we can do this, we shall be 

 able in the course of a few years to accumulate a vastly more 

 complete and accurate body of knowledge than anything we 

 now possess as to the points of merit in judging the dairy work 

 of an animal from external appearance. 



6. THE INHERITANCE OF MILK AND BUTTER-FAT PRODUCING 



ABILITY. 



Work on this phase of the problem is being conducted along 

 the two general lines mentioned in our last report. The analysis 

 of the existing records for the advanced registry in the Hol- 

 stein and Jersey breeds is going forward as rapidly as possible, 

 considering the enormous amount of labor involved in this 

 work. The breeding experiments with the University of Maine 

 herd are now progressing in a satisfactory way. Already a 

 number of the experimentally bred calves have been born and 

 are growing nicely. By the end of another year we shall have 

 a considerable number of animals in the cross-breeding experi- 

 ments from which may be tested, by Mendelian methods, the 

 way in which milk and butter fat production are inherited 



