Dumb question - Blue eyes?

[ltfdexters]

Our latest breeding produced a red heifer from a black cow, and a dun bull from a dun cow. One of the black, 1st breeding heifers we had traded this fall also produced a dun Bull.

The two duns have light-colored, almost blue eyes. There doesn't seem to be any effect on their vision. They are active and have excellent conformation. They are two weeks apart, born in Feb.

Is there a correlation between dun and light-colored eyes? will they go to brown - or is this evidence of a further mutation? The dun cow has the same deep brown eyes as the black cow; the fathering bull was black-carry-red-carry-dun with deep brown eyes.

[ctownson]

We have two duns right now, and one of them has the very light-colored eyes. We used to have another dun with the exact same eye color. I think it is very unique looking. I have never seen it in a dexter other than duns so it will be interesting to see what others say about the trait and whether it ever appears in a black or red cow.

[Jams Hundred]

Do you all mean "baby blue" eyes? The light colored eyes I have seen in dun are more of a hazel color. I have chihuahuas with baby blue eyes.
Very striking. At times weird depending on the facial markings and patterns.

Judy

[cddexter]

not dumb. Interesting.

Yes, you can get blue eyes in duns. Seems so far to be limited to dun. You can also get 1/2 blue eyes, with each eye showing two distinct colors, upper half and lower half, roughly. Some duns also have very light honey colored eyes. Probably other alleles eing expressed once the black gene is modified.

If you email John Potter, who does check emails occasionally even though he's still in hospital and not home, he has the experience and records to give you the genuine scoop.

chers, c.

[legendrockranch]

In some of our red calves at birth they can have blue eyes. As they age their eye color changes and are no longer blue.
It's similar to that of human babies.

Barb

[midhilldexters]

John and Anthony had a black bull called Tama Blue Eyes. I have searched and cannot find the picture, but if John can find it he will send me a copy to post. I know I have posted it before, maybe on the old Dakodan site?

Carol K

[ctownson]

I will try to get a good picture of the one we have with this eye color in the next few days.

[ctownson]

Well, I tried to get some close-up of Beth's eyes. This is not the easiest photo to take, but I managed to get two that are fairly good. Please take a look and comment based on this thread!

[ctownson]

second photo

[ssrdex]

Very striking. I've had three duns born here since '09, & had a dun bull for 2 breeding seasons, but no blue eyes. My black boss cow was bred to the dun again last year...due April 2nd. Will pay attention to the eyes!

[ctownson]

The eyes are beautiful and unique. I call them more a light marble color but they have some blue tint for sure.

[Deleted]

Pictures in next post

Branna was born last week in January, and these pics were taken on day four.
We had just assumed they were the 'baby blues' but lighter than normal.

The black calf who was born a week before her appears to have blusih eyes too, but nowhere near as light as Brannas.

Branna is also a jet black colour, yet our other 2 black calves a 'brownish-black'

[Deleted]

Branna on day four

[midhilldexters]

John found the pics of Tama Blue eyes, a black bull calf. He also mentioned that the blue seemed to only be in the lower half of the eye, from 3 o'clock to 8 o'clock.




Carol K

[cddexter]

good pics, Carol, and a bonus. We can use these in future when newbies ask about final coat color. The black around the eye of an animal that starts out a brownish hue is the standard test of permanent coat color. Thank Himself for us. cheers, c.