Name: ________________________

Date: ______________________

Its Calf Time!

You will be provided with an ova (egg) with random alleles for each trait, the genotype, and
the phenotype. Fill in what alleles you get for each characteristic for your calf.
Characteristic

Description

Male or
Female

XX = Female
XY = Male

Base Coat
Color

AA = Black
Aa = Red
Aa = White
BB = Spots
Bb =
Speckled
bb = White
Points
EE = Short
perked
Ee = Short
droopy
ee = Long
droopy
HH = horns
Hh = polled
hh = polled
FF = Correct
Ff =
Bowlegged
ff = Knockkneed
RR = 65 lbs
Rr = 85 lbs
rr = 75 lbs
WW = 731
lbs
Ww = 519
lbs
ww = 584 lbs
CC = 73%
Cc = 52%
cc = 65%

Alternative
Coat

Ears

Horns

Foot Stance

Birth Weight

Weaning
Weight

Carcass Yield

Your Calfs
Alleles

Genotype

Phenotype

Name: _____________________________

Date: _________________________

What are these Genetic Terms?!

Answer the following review questions about these genetic terms:
1. Write a short definition for each of these terms:
a. Genotype
b. Phenotype
c. Heterozygous
d. Homozygous
e. Allele
f. Recessive
g. Dominant
2. Why is the sex of the calf determined by the bull?
3. If we have a cow with black coat color represented with the alleles (BB) and a bull with
the coat color of black speckled with white points represented with the alleles (Bb).
What will the calves look like? Draw a Punnett Square to help you.

4. Continuing from number 3, will the recessive trait ever show? Why?

Name: _______________________________
Name: _______________________________

Date: ________________________

Your calves are all grown up! Ready to start a herd?

Working with a partner, fill in this sheet to determine the possible genotypes and
phenotypes of your new baby calf. The same information will be filled out in the Cutout sheet to determine what characteristics your new baby calf will have. Fill in the
chart below with those characteristics.
Baby!
Genotype Phenotype
Male/Femal
e
Base Coat
Color
Alternative
Coat
Ears
Horns
Foot
Stance
Cow

Birth
Weight
Weaning
Weight

Bull

Male/Female
Genotype:
_____________________
Phenotype:
____________________

Cow

Base Coat Color

Bull

Cow

Bull

Alt Coat Color

Genotype:
_____________________
Phenotype:

Cow

Genotype:
_____________________
Bull

Ears

Phenotype:

Cow

Genotype:
_____________________
Bull
Cow

Horns Phenotype:
Cow

Genotype:
Genotype:
_____________________
_____________________
Phenotype:
Phenotype:
Bull

Foot Stance

Bull
Birth Weight

Cow

Genotype Cut-Out Page

Fill out each Punnett Square with the same
information from your previous page. Cut out

Bull

Weaning Weight
Genotype:
_____________________

each Punnett Square one at a time, then cut

it into fourths, turn each section face down,
mix them up and chose one; this choice will
be
the genotype for your new baby calf.

Phenotype:

Horns

Weaning Weight

Male/Female

Foot Stance

Birth Weight

Ears

B. Coat Color

Alt.Coat Color