genetics question

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lifeofleisure

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I have a mixed herd of mainly black angus-x with a couple of red angus, and a couple of questionable breed.

I had been breeding to a registered Black Angus bulls since 2002. I got rid of my last one due to age and size, and purchased a Saler-x-Angus cross last year hoping to introduce some hybrid vigor, and have better calving ease. Calves are starting to come in (6 of 20 so far), and from accounts are looking pretty good. I have never had anything but black calves in the past except from one Charolais x Angus cow that consistently throws a chocolate brown calf.
I know that genetics are not always simple but heres what I think I know:
-When a homozygous black bull (BB in genotype) is bred to red cows (bb), all the progeny are black but carry the red gene (are heterozygous for the red gene).
-When such a heterozygous bull is bred to red cows, half of the progeny will be black (Bb in genotype) and half will be red (bb).

i just had my first red calf. Red momma, Saler-x-angus Bull. according to wife it is a wooly little bugger ( long red hair). I am deployed and haven't seen good pictures of any of them yet.

Question - Does the Saler carry a recessive red gene? The other 5 are solid black.
 
Salers were originally a red breed, the black camer from infusions of other breeds probably angus
 
In France Salers are nearly all red but black ones exist. Most breeders cull the few black animals they get but some folks like the black ones and keep them or even breed for them. I know of five Salers herds in our part of France and we're the only ones with some black animals.

The old story here is that you need at least one black Salers cow to guard the farm against storms. :)

I have a few black ones in my herd but I'm an American and can get away with it.

Cheers, Brent in SW France.
 

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