The Inheritance of Milk Yield in Ayrshire Cows

Abstract

The possibility that some of the factors governing the inheritance of milk might be inherited in a sex-linked manner has been suggested by one of the writers. The need was felt for further investigation. There are two main avenues by which this question may be explored: by planned experiment with cattle or by a study of the existing milk records. The former method is slow and very costly, but would probably give conclusive results. The latter does not require experiment to provide the necessary facts, but the data may be somewhat vitiated by lack of control over conditions of nutrition and husbandry which undoubtedly affect, to a great extent, the amount of milk which a cow may yield in a lactation.