4O FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



which is absurd. It would also follow that it would be 

 impossible to fix a bias in the system pronouncedly in 

 the direction of one kind of production as meat or milk, 

 as a reasonably certain factor in transmission. 



Bearing on quality. Transmission also has an impor- 

 tant bearing on quality in performance and production, 

 and also on habit. The influence which it exercises on 

 performance is seen in the character of the action 

 possessed by draft and standard bred horses respec- 

 tively. The influence which it exerts on quality is very 

 clearly shown in what may be termed breed character- 

 istics in the quality of meat, milk and wool. The in- 

 fluence which it exercises on habit is well shown in the dif- 

 ference in the prolificacy of certain breeds of sheep and 

 swine. 



While easy and vigorous action is required in kind, of 

 both draft and standard bred horses, the speed of the 

 latter must greatly exceed that of the former, and the 

 same is true of the ability to maintain speed prolonged 

 in duration. On the other hand, the strength of the 

 former must greatly exceed that of the latter. 



In beef and dairy breeds of cattle the difference in the 

 depth of the covering of loin and sirloin, and in the 

 weight of the thigh is markedly in favor of the former. 

 The latter also puts on relatively much more internal fat 

 when being finished. In the beef breeds the difference 

 between the covering of fat on the loin and the streak- 

 ing and flecking of the meat in various parts of the car- 

 cass, that is the intermingling of the fat and lean, is 

 marked. The same is true of the mutton breeds of 

 sheep and also of the texture of the meat in these with 

 reference to toughness or tenderness and coarseness or 

 fineness of fiber. In swine the difference in quality is 

 markedly seen in the contrast in the amount of streak- 

 ing of the fat and lean in the side meat. 



