Question on sire info

[ittybittyfarm]

Hi...I'm very new to Dexter cattle & to this site. I have a registered cow I will get AI'd this summer & have a limited selection (Canada) of semen to choose from.

My local genetic facility has semen from a bull with the following information:
Recessive 1/Récessif 1: PFD

I've tried to figure out what that means, but I have no clue. Can someone enlighten me?

I want to keep a clean deformity-free herd.

Thanks for your help

[kansasdexters]

Hello ittybittyfarm,

I believe that the recessive gene they are referring to is the recessive variant for Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca (PHA). The laboratory results from Igenity are reported as follows:

PF - non-carrier of the PHA recessive gene found in Shorthorn and Maine-Anjou cattle
PFD - non-carrier of the PHA recessive gene found in Dexter cattle = PHA-free, Dexter variant

Igenity (called "Merial Laboratory" in Canada) normally reports the result for a PHA test as PF/PFD for animals that test free of both PHA variants.

Here is an informative link about this particular lethal recessive gene:
www.dextercattle.org/genPHA.htm


Patti

[ittybittyfarm]

Patti, I appreciate the information...I hadn't seen that term (PFD) used in my research and didn't want to make an unwise choice for AI.

[marion]

Hi Ittybitty. I see you are in Canada

I had noticed the notation on the bottom of the animal information on the CDCA pedigrees, as you stated above. It does give the impression that the animal might have a genetic problem, rather than that it had been tested (and in most cases, found to be PHA free). I suggested to Ron Black that there should be an asterisk, with an explanation of the codes for PHA carrier or PHA free.

[cddexter]

ibf, you might want to contact marion direct. she has some semen she sells at reasonable prices, and has first hand info about a lot of bulls and what they can-and won't-do-in terms of inheritance. c.