Another Color Question

[TheBullLady]

I have a dandy young Simmental bull, about four days old, that has potential. Before I get too excited about him, what will he pass on to his offspring?

The calf is "kinda" black. I can't tell if he's going to turn darker when he sheds out his baby hair, but he really looks more charcoal color right now. His dam is a "blond" Simmental.. her dam was one of the old timey Simmentals, before they decided they were better off black. His sire is heterozogous black.

I know his dam is the one with the diluter gene.. does that mean he will carry it as well? What does that mean as far as his progeny are concerned?

 

[VanC]

I have a dandy young Simmental bull, about four days old, that has potential. Before I get too excited about him, what will he pass on to his offspring?

The calf is "kinda" black. I can't tell if he's going to turn darker when he sheds out his baby hair, but he really looks more charcoal color right now. His dam is a "blond" Simmental.. her dam was one of the old timey Simmentals, before they decided they were better off black. His sire is heterozogous black.

I know his dam is the one with the diluter gene.. does that mean he will carry it as well? What does that mean as far as his progeny are concerned?

I'll give it a try. If he isn't black but is gray or charcoal as you call it, then he almost certainly carries a copy of the diluter gene from his dam, but he would also have a non-diluter gene from his sire. If you keep him as a bull his offspring would have a 50/50 chance of being diluted. At least that's how I understand it.

 

[randiliana]

What Vanc said, sounds about right. He should pass on the diluter gene 50% of the time.

There are 2 different (common) dilution genes, the one in the Simmental breed, and the one in the Charolais breed. They work similarly, but there are some major differences.

In the Simmental version, one copy of the gene will result in a fairly dark colored animal, charcoal or dark gray(if black base) or light red to tannish colored (if red base). If the animal is homo for it then it will be light grey or light tan, depending on the base color. It can be difficult to tell if the animal is homo or hetero in some cases, however, because there are other genes that also affect the intensity of color.

In the Charolais version one gene results in a tan or grayish colored animal, and 2 copies will result in a white to very, very light tan or gray. Most animals in the Charolais breed are actually red animals. The homozygous dilution results in them looking white.

 

[Beefy]

yeah if hes charcoal hes got the potential to pass on the diluter gene

 

[TheBullLady]

?? Angus / Brangus, I don't understand that statement. Would you explain please?

 

[Third Row]

This page explains it in detail...

http://www.simmental.com.au/tech_newsitems/Colour_Inheritance.pdf

What do you plan on using him with? Those diluter Simmentals seem to get docked through the ring.