

Abstracts. 231 



with tight scurs all (3) were males; of those with horns all (2) 

 were males. This would seem like a clear case where the male 

 has some influence. The explanation of this difference ap- 

 pears to be due to a hormone" secreted by the germ cells. Should 

 this prove true, this forms an interesting parallel between cattle 

 and sheep, in which the sex glands are known to produce such 

 changes. 



The qualities of beef production are shown to be divisible 

 into four general regions of the body : head, fore quarters, bar- 

 rel, and hind quarters. The type of head and heavy, deep fleshed 

 fore quarters are transmitted to the offspring when either par- 

 ent is of the Aberdeen-Angus breed. The body and hind quar- 

 ters appear intermediate, but resemble most the dairy parents. 



Data are given on the milk and fat production of some of 

 the crossbreds. The results indicate that milk and fat produc- 

 tion behave separately. High milk production is dominant to 

 low, but high fat percentage is recessive to a low fat percentage 

 in the milk. 



Studies in Milk Secretion 



IV. On the Variation and Mode of Secretion of Milk 

 Solids.* 



This paper is the fourth of a series of studies on milk now 

 being conducted in the Biological Laboratory of the Maine 

 Agricultural Experiment Station. The data for this study are 

 taken from the semi-official year records of the pure bred Hol- 

 stein-Friesian cows compiled and supervised by the Holstein- 

 Friesian Association. 



The means, standard deviations and coefficients of varia- 

 tion are given for these year records. The mean annual pro- 

 ductions are 15417 pounds of milk, 528 pounds of butter-fat, 

 1303 pounds of solids-not-fat. The standard deviations are 

 respectively 3742 pounds of milk, 134 pounds of butter-fat, 260 

 pounds of solids-not-fat and 2 years. The coefficients of varia- 

 tion are respectively 24, 25, 20 and 50. These data show Hol- 

 stein-Friesian milk for one year to be large in amount and high 



*This is an abstract from a paper by John W. Gowen, having the 

 same title published in the Jour. Agr. Research. 



