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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:34 pm
by Broomcroft
I have many black cows. Some always produce black calves. Then I have at least four black cows that have produced only red when put to my red bull. Total calves from these cows has now reached about 12, all red. Looking at the chart I use I should be getting both colours. Or is this just luck of the draw?
Edited By Broomcroft on 1227893687
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:16 pm
by Duncan MacIntyre
The black cows which can produce a red calf will have one black gene and one red one. If the calf inherits a black one, it will be black because black is dominant and red recessive. If the calf gets a red gene from the black mother, and the sire is a red bull who will have two reds, it wll be red as it is bound to get another red from the bull.
Two black parents each of which carry red will have a one in four chance of producing a red calf, two in four of a black carrying red, and one in four of black/black.
Dun is another story and works by interfering with the production of black pigment. So a red will not be affected as there is no black there. It might of course pass on the dun gene which could show in black offspring. In a way similar to the red the dun animal must have a dun gene from each parent.
Duncan
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 8:00 pm
by davidw
Dear Duncan,
As a new recruit to the Dexter community, I'd welcome your input on the colour of two of this years heifer calves. They both have black noses so I expect they will eventually turn black. Both have plenty of red in their pedigree's. One is black with a red backbone and the other is a mid-chocolate colour with red along the backbone and very light almost dun whisps along its belly and its tail. Any suggestion as to the final colour would be welcome?
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:13 pm
by Colin
Clive, this must be luck of the draw as black is dominant, as per the table (I assume you're using the one I sent on dexterbeef online). It proves your cows are heterozygous for one black and one red gene otherwise the calves would all be black.
David, I'd say almost certainly your calves will darken to black as they get older (what colour are the hooves). I've had some calves from red mothers and a black father, and they tend to be lighter when young, darkening as they get older.
Colin
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:03 pm
by Inger
One of our cows turned out to carry red. Even though the last red animal in her bloodline was three generations ago. She had three black bull calves in a row, so I never gave it a thought that she might carry red.
But for the last two years, she has produced a red calf from a bull which also carries red. Its only a 1 in 4 possibility of getting a red calf from such a mating, but its happened twice in a row. So the odds can sometimes go your way.
The first calf was a bull, but this year she gave me a red heifer, which has even greater odds against happening. 
Needless to say I was rapt that her first heifer calf was red.
This year I put her to a red bull. So it'll be a 50/50 chance of getting a red calf. Getting another heifer calf - Who knows?