62 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN February 2026 PAST Foundation of Objective Selection Tools BOB HOUGH | CONTRIBUTING WRITER As we move into February, the bull-selling season really ramps up. This means commercial producers will be selecting the genetics that will determine the product they have to market in the form of feeder cattle approximately 20 months from now and the makeup of their mature cow herd in 10 years. Those are weighty decisions in a high-priced market. Luckily, the industry has sophisticated, objective genetic predictions that will help producers make the best decisions possible on what herdsires to purchase. Unfortunately, we are seeing an alarming trend in our society that rejects science on a broad range of fronts to the detriment of people’s businesses and society as a whole. Therefore, pull your cinch up tight as this article deals with mathematics and the historical foundation of quantitative genetics, which are the basis for calculating genetic predictions. The Impact of Polymaths Great strides in civilization occur when a generation of geniuses exists that collectively make quantum leaps forward in a particular part of society. This is especially true when the group of geniuses is blessed with an unusually large number of polymaths. Derived from the Greek language, a polymath is someone whose expertise spans a broad range of subjects and can draw on and integrate this diverse knowledge to solve complex problems. Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin are often cited as two prime examples of polymaths. One could argue that the basis for mathematics needed to calculate today’s genetic predictions started with one of history’s great polymaths, Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727). He is credited with laying the foundation for calculus along with his work on astronomy, optics, gravitation and physics. In addition, Gottfried Leibniz, German mathematician and philosopher, had independently developed calculus around the same time as Newton. Their intense rivalry would lead to the increased pace of development of this new field of mathematics that would ultimately be critical to future development of quantitative genetics. Together with other innovators of that era, the Scientific Revolution occurred. Great Britain’s polymath Robert Bakewell (1725-1795), hailed as the father of animal breeding, employed the concept of breeding like to like, regardless of relationship, until animals bred true for the desired traits, thus laying out the blueprint for developing breeds. He was also a pioneer in agronomy, soil amendments, irrigation and animal feeding. His talents, combined with other British geniuses like Charles Townsend, Thomas Coke, Jethro Tull, Joseph Elkington and Arthur Young, resulted in the Agriculture Revolution, the fruits of which resulted in modern agriculture. Population and Quantitative Genetics The field of genetics starting in the early 20th century was blessed with four “polymath” academics who laid the foundation for modern objective selection based on quantitative genetics. Two British scientists and two American scientists – Dr. Ronald Fisher (1890-1962), J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964), Dr. Sewell Wright (1889-1998) and Dr. Jay Lush (1896-1982), respectively – constituted another of those instances where a group of geniuses from one era caused a giant leap forward in our understanding of evolutionary, population and quantitative genetics. Interestingly, only one of them was a formally trained geneticist – Harvard-educated Sewell Wright. Lush’s doctorate work was in reproductive physiology, Fisher in astronomy and physics and Haldane in physiology. Still, they were all naturally gifted mathematicians, whose application of statistics was used to describe populations and solve real world problems that their diverse backgrounds equipped them to do. They came of age academically when Reverend Gregor Mendall’s (1822-1884) work on heredity was being rediscovered, and there was a renewed interest in Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theories of evolution. Without the knowledge of heritability and Darwin’s determination that genetic variation was continuous rather than categorical, neither evolution nor genetic selection would be possible. Another historical mathematician and theologian who was getting renewed attention was the Reverend Thomas Bayes (1701-1761). Bayesian probaCONTINUED ON PAGE 64
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