its coat is a mixture of red hairs and white—that is, roan. The proportions of the two kinds of hair vary greatly: the white hairs being sometimes so few that the roan is almost a red, and the red sometimes so few that it is almost a white.[1]
When roan crosses are bred together their progeny select their colour determinant one half from each parent, and the chances are one that both halves will be red; two that one will be white and one red; and one that both will be white. It may be a union of these these
↘ , or these
↗ , or these Consequently, from a sufficient number of matings, a quarter of the calves must be red, a half roan, and a quarter white.
Again, when red cattle are mated with roan ones, one half their calves are red, the other half roan. Combining the four little diagrams as above, →
⤨→ gives two reds , and two roans .
Further, when white cattle are mated with roans, one half their progeny are white, the other half roan. →
⤨→ gives two whites and two roans .
- ↑ White cattle with the black or brown "points" of the "wild" park cattle behave as pure whites, and red and white flecked cattle behave as pure reds.
