dun vs. red

[evolen]

Hi,

Sorry for my silly question!
I have a dun colored bull on my red cows. What color can i expect on calfs?

Thank you!

[Duncan MacIntyre]

Black. There are numerous other posting on colour inheritance, should show up if you search.

Theoretically I think Dun is possible but only if the red is carrying dun.

Duncan

[SteveM]

Any link between red and dun.

Our new black bull has a red father.

To the first four of our black cows we have had black calves, to our red cow we have had a red calf.

The latest two calves are not currently totally black, appear to have a dark brown tint almost like highlights.

Ist was male so no problem, but 2nd is a heifer.

The mother of the male calf has previously had light brown calves which we have assumed as dun.

If we register a heifer as black can its colour be changed later.

[Broomcroft]

There is a topic a few years old on here called simply "dun". I think there may be two, so make sure you look at the correct one. In the one I am talking about, Kirk (Cascade Herd USA) explains all about colour genetics, carol does as well. It's full of useful information.

As far as I know, if you have a black cow with one red parent, then that cow will carry the red gene. We have a number of black cows like that (no red tinge), and put to a red bull they have never actually had a black calf, always red year after year, but that is just luck of the draw I think as it should be 50:50 chance of red or black. You also have true red and wild red.

Not sure that the red in the coat indicates much as most of my calves have a red tinge in the longer hairs, and they were sired by a pedigree black Angus!

We've also just had two dun bull calves from a black bull. The black bulls sire is red and his dam is dun.



Edited By Broomcroft on 1275554537

[Broomcroft]

PS. It's this one...

dun topic

[ann]

Hi Steve

I will be very surprised if you calf does not turn out black, as most of my cattle carry red I quite often get calves like this and they always turn out black.

I have never had a dun although as some calves change coats, they can look dark fawn.

It is surprising how many people mistake this colour for dun and yes you can change the colour later if by any chance it did turn out dun.

[wagra dexters]

There is a US site belonging to Belle Fourche Farm with a very helpful chart that's in colour.
I just google Dexter Colour Genetics Chart and click the top-most option.
Margaret.