"New" genetic Defect

[boondocks]

https://www.angus.org/pub/OH/OHInfo.aspx

Thanks, AAA! Much of my herd now suddenly shows up as possible carriers of this "defect" (oculocutaneous hypopigmentaion, or OP) which they admit is wholly cosmetic. (Light eyes).
Any one else looked into this?
Testing is not required, but is anyone doing it? $18 per (plus test cards, etc). We are AIing to Comrade and his reg cert doesn't show up as a possible carrier, so that's good.
Wonder if the semen companies are testing all bulls for this yet?

 

[Son of Butch]

Appears out of several hundred angus bulls checked only 1 has been identified as a carrier Sir Wms Warrant born in 1978 #9196894 and seems it is believed he introduced it into the simmental breed.
Light eyes and bleached hair coats
Doubt many will bother testing for it, as it is a simple recessive and appears to be quite rare in angus and cosmetic.

 

[cowgirl8]

I have a old cow, 2004 who's name is Bright Eyes. She has light colored greenish eyes. Has some angus in her, but would be out of a sim/angus bull and sim cow..She is solid black..
I like it. I can pick her out of the herd without looking at her number because of her eyes. Its the only cow we've ever had with these eyes that we've kept...Dont recall seeing any calves with these eyes...or any of her calves.

 

[bse]

JMO all the DD stuff is about wrapped up, so there are a lot of people with not to many cards coming in to have a job, so if they keep something going they will have something to do plus hopefully since your sending it just add the 50K.
I have been lucky so far, I have 0 potential. I would clear mine if they were, main reason being if someone looks at a bulls papers and see anything with P(potential) it throws up a red flag, it is easier for me to clean them than try to explain it means nothing.
I went last week and looked at 13 coming yearling heifers, nice heifers all A I, I think there was 6 or 7 DDP told him I wasn't interested with P on there, most 3 generations back So not likely to be a carrier but a chance. So it can make a difference to me anyway.

 

[inyati13]

Also occurring in simmentals. I know some producers have been seeing the eye characteristics for years. Not an issue, cosmetic, some producers find it attractive.

Last year when I took Fire Sweep to Rocking P, she saw it in one of their cows. They said they have seen it for years. Fire Sweep has one cow with the eyes.

I agree with bse. Someone has nothing to do. From a strict genetic perspective, eye variations based on color with no adverse function does not constitute a defect.

 

[cowgirl8]

I love it....wished i had more. I have some cows with a lot of white in their eyes, i like that too....If i can get a good picture of Bright Eyes, i'll post it...I see nothing wrong with it as it does make the cow stand out in a crowd, like a blue eye'd horse...

 

[boondocks]

JMO all the DD stuff is about wrapped up, so there are a lot of people with not to many cards coming in to have a job, so if they keep something going they will have something to do plus hopefully since your sending it just add the 50K.
I have been lucky so far, I have 0 potential. I would clear mine if they were, main reason being if someone looks at a bulls papers and see anything with P(potential) it throws up a red flag, it is easier for me to clean them than try to explain it means nothing.
I went last week and looked at 13 coming yearling heifers, nice heifers all A I, I think there was 6 or 7 DDP told him I wasn't interested with P on there, most 3 generations back So not likely to be a carrier but a chance. So it can make a difference to me anyway.

I agree that non-cosmetic genetic defects should be "bred away from" where possible. For that reason, I tested my DDP and NHP cows. (As a small operation with only a few years under our belts, we do not sell bulls).

But the OH issue seems very different. Do you think you would avoid an otherwise-nice heifer just because she is OHP? If so, where does this end? I am really wrestling with this, and rather annoyed that AAA seems to be going out of its way to call things "defects" that are really just normal variation. Also rather frustrated that it's not just one or two animals, but about my entire herd. If there's really only one bull that has spread it, I guess it's my dumb luck.

 

[Nesikep]

while the light eyes are not what I'd call a defect either, perhaps it predisposes them to cancer eye? That would be my ONLY cause for concern.... That said, in 25 years here I have NEVER seen cancer eye in any herd

 

[gizmom]

The association list potential carriers as an FYI. In the case of OH M1 and DD you do not have to test you just need to be aware not to breed a OHP bull to a OHP heifer.

https://www.angus.org/pub/OH/OHFactSheet.pdf

https://www.angus.org/pub/M1/M1FactSheet.pdf

https://www.angus.org/pub/DD/DDFactSheet.pdf

Hopefully the fact sheets will answer some of your questions.

gizmom

 

[cbcr]

A second bull has also been identified with the OH ( Oculocutaneous Hypopigmentation ).

Ginger Hill Boss 150 (AAA 11395611) born in 1990. Descendants of Ginger Hill Boss 150 will be identified as potential carriers of the OH condition (OHP) unless an intervening ancestor is tested free of the condition (OHF).

 

[bse]

Boondocks for me a nice heifer with OHP probably wouldn't worry about it, I would have her cleaned because I don't want the P on my papers. Now I do think if a commercial person is looking at a bull or heifer and sees that on the papers you will have to explain it, more for bull buyers id think.
I don't know if the have to be cleaned to be in a bull test Gizmon could answer that I suppose.
For me if it's a FYI type thing leave it off the papers put it on your login.

 

[boondocks]

The association list potential carriers as an FYI. In the case of OH M1 and DD you do not have to test you just need to be aware not to breed a OHP bull to a OHP heifer.

https://www.angus.org/pub/OH/OHFactSheet.pdf

https://www.angus.org/pub/M1/M1FactSheet.pdf

https://www.angus.org/pub/DD/DDFactSheet.pdf

Hopefully the fact sheets will answer some of your questions.

gizmom

Thanks. I have read them all previously. The new one, OH, just snuck up on me. They don't seem to have given it much fanfare, unlike the prior ones.
I tested for DD because in my one or two that were DDP, it was due to a long-ago ancestor and I figured they were probably clear. One cow was NHP, though, and she turned out to be a carrier so we have to test all of her heifers (haven't gotten any males from her but they would be steers anyway).
I just don't know how/where this ends. I have a background, of sorts, in biology, including some genetics. The more they dig, the more they will find. I worry that we may lose a lot of unknown positive benefits and end up with a small gene pool if the current trend is followed to its logical conclusion.
Too, AAA "says" that testing for OH and DD is optional, but if you are selling replacement heifers, you either have to explain to buyers that those ominous words on your reg certs "don't mean anything, heh heh heh", OR you test them and run a very real risk that now your animal bears a DDC or OHC code instead of just a "possible" code.
I have zero problem with them doing this on genetic defects that are of serious concern. But light eyes?!
We need to keep in mind that some "defects" carry other, surprising positive benefits. For example, "sickle cell" in humans confers some protection against malaria. See, eg, http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/biolog ... _cell.html.

Nesi, AAA says the defect is cosmetic: "While some affected calves have sensitivity to
light, they are believed to be otherwise normal functionally and physiologically." (So, only a portion of the affected calves have some light sensitivity. Keep in mind these are "affected" calves, not carriers or possible carriers, who are totally normal).

 

[Nesikep]

If you wanted to test for the condition yourself, breed said heifers to a OHC bull a number of times, if ANY calves from a cow have it, the cow has it, if none do, the cow is clear..

It's much like horns.. the offspring must get the horned gene from both sides of the family..

I guess they'd consider horns a 'defect' too

 

[regolith]

If you wanted to test for the condition yourself, breed said heifers to a OHC bull a number of times, if ANY calves from a cow have it, the cow has it, if none do, the cow is clear..

It's much like horns.. the offspring must get the horned gene from both sides of the family..

I guess they'd consider horns a 'defect' too

I'm pretty sure I've seen information reported against dairy bulls that makes it appear that 'red carrier' or 'polled' are defects of the same severity as lethal recessives.

 

[boondocks]

I guess they'd consider horns a 'defect' too

:lol: :lol: :lol: No doubt!
I guess I will start by doing the DNA test on my oldest cows. Hopefully at least some are clear, so I can avoid testing all daughters. That is still half my herd, but I guess on balance I would like it cleared from their certs if possible.