STATISTICAL STUDY OF BODY WEIGHTS 261 



Tabi.e III. — Means, standard deviations, and coefficients of 

 variation presented in correlation tables. 



Table IV., a summary of the coefficients of correlation, shows 

 that increases in body measurements have a closer relationship 

 with gains in live weight than the initial measurements. With 

 the exception of initial weight these measurements, as shown in 

 Table II., also had high coefficients of variation. 



The correlation coefficients for the two body circumferences of 

 chest and rear flank, the width of thurls (hip joint), and the dis- 

 tance of hip to buttock show the closest relationship of all the 

 initial measurements with gains in live weight. This suggests 

 the possibilities of using these measurements in the selection of 

 feeding steers, at least for experimental purposes, as a means of 

 reducing the experimental error caused by individuality of 

 animals. 



