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Post by tiffin on Feb 15, 2010 8:38:23 GMT -5
Is it normal for a polled Dexter to suddenly showing flat nubbles? It appears as though he was dehorned which I'm concerned about for a selling point. What proof would I have that he is polled? Any comments welcome.
Adrienne
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Post by kansasdexters on Feb 15, 2010 9:19:58 GMT -5
Hi Adrienne,
It is common for a heterozygous polled Dexter to show scurs. Bulls tend to show scurs more than cows do. Scurs usually appear sometime in the first year of age, they are moveable (not attached to the skull like horns are), and they can grow to be quite noticeable as the animal matures. A scurred Dexter is still considered to be polled, not horned. A polled Dexter must also have at least one polled parent in order to be genetically polled.
The polled gene is a dominant gene thus a heterozygous polled animal has one polled gene and one horned gene in the gene pair that controls for horn growth. The presence of that one polled gene in the gene pair, interferes with the horn growth function, and the animal is genetically polled as a result. The genes that control for scur growth are separate genes, some animals carry them and some don't.
Right now, the way to test if a bull is polled or horned (if there is any question), is to breed that bull to several horned cows. If any of these horned cows produces a polled calf from this mating, then the bull is polled.
If you still have any question about whether or not your bull is scurred or horned, have your vet examine him and help you make that determination.
Patti
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Post by ctownson on Feb 15, 2010 18:18:41 GMT -5
How old is this bull? That can provide some information to help make a determination.
charles
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Honeycreek Dexters
member
All Natural Drug Free Grass Fed Beef, From Our Herd Sire Phoenix
Posts: 362
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Post by Honeycreek Dexters on Feb 15, 2010 18:42:14 GMT -5
Which of the parents was polled sire or d**n? Either? Both?
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Honeycreek Dexters
member
All Natural Drug Free Grass Fed Beef, From Our Herd Sire Phoenix
Posts: 362
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Post by Honeycreek Dexters on Feb 15, 2010 18:43:10 GMT -5
oops wrong dam
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Post by tiffin on Mar 23, 2010 11:12:28 GMT -5
Thank you for your answers. The bull is 2 years old. He has not had an offspring yet. His first one is due in April. His sire was polled. He is registered so I suppose that is proof. The scurs are not enlarging so I guess I won't worry about it. Hopefully, out of the 4 offspring due this summer at least one will be polled. Thanks again.
Adrienne
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dexterlady
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Wife, mother of two daughters and five grand children
Posts: 647
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Post by dexterlady on Apr 17, 2010 11:33:12 GMT -5
Adrianne, I am in the same situation. I have a polled red bull and most of our cows are horned. I bred all of them to our bull, and so far he has produced two heifers and a bull calf, ALL are polled. Twoare red and one is dun. The little bull calf is red. But all are polled. This our bulls first crop of calves and we are very proud of him. We still have a cow ( horned) to calve and a young heifer to calve, but she is polled also. But even though she is polled and the bull is polled , they could still have a horned calf becuse they are both heteozygus polled. Sure hope our luck holds out and we get all polled. Hope this helps........Donna
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