Red or Black

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:12 am

One of my cows produced my first Dexter calf last week and has given me a problem. The calf (a nice little heifer) is mostly red, with a little black. But she has a black nose and hooves, which I am told is the telling point. A true red will have a pink nose and feet. Will she keep this colour ? or will she get blacker ? Do I register her as a black or a red ?

Martin

mindenho · Post by **mindenho** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:09 pm

Going on my past experience I would register her as black. I expect that gradually over the summer the red coat colouring will change. It has happened to me on a number of occasions. I've got really excited at having a red offspring, but they have always turned black!
Erica.

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:22 pm

Presumably the Society is happy to change details on file if a keeper makes a mistake with the colour?

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:56 pm

If your not sure if its red or black then check the colour of its tongue, if its black its black if its pink its red,if you know what i mean.
Anyway congratulations.
Mark

dexter · Post by **dexter** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:04 pm

Martin

Any chance that you could enlighten us on the breeding of this calf, has she any Cornahir Outlaw within its pedigree for example ?
I have been breeding red cattle for several years, and have one red cow that has a black tongue, hooves and nose, but always throws a red calf when put to a red bull (pink nose, tongue etc). I suggest that you register this calf as the colour she was born (red) and change this if need be at a later date, or ask for a field officer (DCS) to inspect her.

Chris Taylor

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:10 pm

I too had a redish calf with a black nose and got all excited. But our Herd Registrar said no, its going to turn black and sure enough, she did. I've mated the mother to a red bull this year, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the cow's red gene gets selected. Toss of the dice, I'm afraid.

We have a steer that was born red with a pink nose and it too changed to black, but eventually brindled. So that really had me scratching my head. Still, he'll taste good, whatever his coat colour :D

This year we finally got a true red heifer from a black bull and cow which both carry red. If the red gene is in your herd, it'll turn up sometime, even if, like us you have to wait three years for it to do so. She's worth waiting for though. She's beautiful.

B.Netti78070 · Post by **B.Netti78070** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 3:40 am

Hi All,

I've been reading and learning on this site for several months and fine it most enjoyable. However sometimes I have to admit I get lost with some of your terminology, but what the heck I live in Texas-USA where we make up our own words:laugh:
To get back to the subject of red Dexter's, my herd consist of 15 DNA proven red animals. The color of their nose can vary, pink, black, plus different mottled looking colors almost purplish. Cornhair Outlaw did have the dark face and black nose and I do beleive alot of our animals might have gotten this from him. My herd sire has alot of Outlaw in him and he too has a dark face and black nose.

Carol K · Post by **Carol K** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:49 am

Is a black tongue considered a "no no" ??

Carol K

B.Netti78070 · Post by **B.Netti78070** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:02 am

Do you folks DNA test for color?

Carol K, you would think we do enough talking in the US, now we can do it here also!

Duncan, your post are very informative, I enjoy reading and learning from them.
and being a vet at that.

Carol K · Post by **Carol K** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 2:53 pm

Hi Barb,
yeah it's good to be able to get another outlook on things, Isn't the internet wonderful. Maybe we should all be called Dexterholics,

Carol K

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 8:32 am

Hi Chris,
sorry for the delay in replying, but I've been a bit busy. I would need to look into the parentage a bit more, as I purchased the cow in calf with a calf at foot last year so only know the pedigree for the last three generarations. The bull has mostly Hill Farm in his parentage the cow has a bit of a mixture. (I'm afraid I cannot afford posh breeding) But you never know, maybee one day I might pay more for that little bit extra.
Martin.