All purebreds are partially inbred, and many are inbred to a degree that jeopardizes the health and well-being of the breed. The brain forms in the fetus at the same time as skin and hair. In our lab at Colorado State University, we provided the first scientifically documented evidence of a relationship between hair whorl positions on the forehead in cattle and differences in temperament. Horsemen have also observed a casual relationship between the position of hair whorls on a horse's forehead and temperament. A hair whorl positioned high above the eyes is said to be related to a flighty temperament.
Cattle also have hair whorls on the forehead similar to horses.
We conducted research on hair whorl positions and temperament in cattle because it was easy to find large numbers of cattle with similar genetics and similar early experiences. In a study of 1,500 cattle at a commercial feedlot, we found that cattle with hair whorls above the eyes fought more in a squeeze chute during vaccinations, and were clearly more frightened by restraint compared to cattle Selecting Whole Animals Genetic selection can either improve or destroy a horse's ability to perform. Horse breeders need to be careful and not over-select for single appearance or performance traits. They need to look at the whole animal.