Homozygous black?

[kenny thomas]

A lot of discussion lately ablut homozygous black bulls. Here are 2 calves from a 1/2 Simmental 1/2 Angus bull i used last summer. I never tested him so this is all for discussion. He didnt do well on fescue so took a trip in December.

 

[kenny thomas]

Was he homozygous black?

 

[Warren Allison]

Was he homozygous black?

No., or you would have got a black baldy out of that Hereford cow.

 

[kenny thomas]

No., or you would have got a black baldy out of that Hereford cow.

Well yes and no. She is half charolais.
I bought her last winter with a redneck calf from a black bull.

 

[kenny thomas]

These 7 cows are also still on grass. Had 1 roll of hay this winter.

 

[Warren Allison]

Well yes and no. She is half charolais.
I bought her last winter with a redneck calf from a black bull.

Then he is hetero, and that calf got the red gene, from him, diluted by the Charolais. If he was homo, that calf would probably have been a smoky with a white face calf. I bet he grew off good, though being Simm, Char and Hereford.

 

[Rmc]

Then he is hetero, and that calf got the red gene, from him, diluted by the Charolais. If he was homo, that calf would probably have been a smoky with a white face calf. I bet he grew off good, though being Simm, Char and Hereford.

Not necessarily black isn't a complete dominant mutation. At best it is an incomplete dominant mutation. Black can be masked or modified by the charolais color . As well as the white park color gene. And almost every color of the Scottish Highland.

 

[kenny thomas]

Then he is hetero, and that calf got the red gene, from him, diluted by the Charolais. If he was homo, that calf would probably have been a smoky with a white face calf. I bet he grew off good, though being Simm, Char and Hereford.

Red calf was from a different bull i bought her in January 2023.

 

[Warren Allison]

Red calf was from a different bull i bought her in January 2023.

What did the fescue do to him, Kenny?

 

[kenny thomas]

What did the fescue do to him, Kenny?

He seemed to overheat in 80+ degree weather. Stood with his tongue out breathing hard. Also stayed in the pond a lot. As soon as fall came he gained weight. I actually was concerned as to whether he was breeding the cows.

 

[kenny thomas]

I figured sure someone would comment on the white cow with the very black calf.

 

[Caustic Burno]

No., or you would have got a black baldy out of that Hereford cow.

Not if she has Char in her.
I have some that color and you get a black calf about half the time.
That Char color gene doesn't play by the rules.
Every one of these calves is out of a homozygous black bull. SH, LH and Char don't play by color rules, African horn gene doesn't play by polled rules.

 

[Warren Allison]

Not if she has Char in her.
I have some that color and you get a black calf about half the time.
That Char color gene doesn't play by the rules.
Every one of these calves is out of a homozygous black bull. SH, LH and Char don't play by color rules, African horn gene doesn't play by polled rules.View attachment 40979

That is true. But that calf is a diluted red. If the bull was homo for black, and that calf got the dilute gene, then it would more likely be grey/smoky. Looks to me like Kenny's bull was hetera black,, and that calf got a red gene from the bull.

 

[farmerjan]

I figured sure someone would comment on the white cow with the very black calf.

The cow had the black muzzle and a grey tint... most all ours will have black calves unless they have the Char pink nose... Got several that are quite light/white... with black calves...

 

[Rmc]

That Char color gene doesn't play by the rules.
Every one of these calves is out of a homozygous black bull. SH, LH and Char don't play by color rules, African horn gene doesn't play by polled rules.View attachment 40979

Char trait does play by the rules and so does the horned African trait.
You just have to understand the correct rules and understand that the black trait isn't a complete dominant trait and it can and will be masked from the phenotype even when present in the genotype by numerous other color traits.