Rosielou
Well-known member
I have a couple questions about rattails and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for on google or in old posts so I thought I would ask here. I had a char x momma(I am thinking char x brangus or char x beefmaster) cow bred to black angus and the bull calf ended up rattail. I got curious and started researching. I know this is common in this cross as well as simmental. I also know that they sometimes don't grow as well and might get docked at the salebarn, but I also read that they can be good momma cows, but should be culled because they carry that gene. But what causes this? I got to wondering about it and why it happens. It is as simple as two genes coming together and creating that gene of ratty hair growth and a tail lacking a switch? I read that rattail is dominant and will be expressed usually, so could the bull that sired this calf be a recessive carrier of that gene? Sorry if I sound uneducated on this subject, I'm kind of confused. My Grandfather didn't know for sure when I asked him, he just knew it was common in this cross. I understand it's because of the diluter gene(yellow momma cow) and you cross it with black(black angus bull), but I don't understand why it happens. Is it as simple as these two colors coming together and they create these defects? Should I refrain from this cross in the future? Thanks in advance. Genetics fascinate me so I'm always wanting to know all I can.
The calf in question. This is the cow's second calf, we had to pull her first one(95-100 lb calf on a heifer!) and it suffocated before we could get it out.
A good picture of the momma(Except the tail, sorry) during summer. I personally liked her length.
The calf in question. This is the cow's second calf, we had to pull her first one(95-100 lb calf on a heifer!) and it suffocated before we could get it out.
A good picture of the momma(Except the tail, sorry) during summer. I personally liked her length.