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Post by jamboru on Jul 19, 2013 1:36:42 GMT -5
I was told that crop-ear was from being nibbled by a leprechaun or kissed by a faerie.
Edit: Ian it doesn't require two parents to produce a crop-ear calf, only one
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 19, 2013 4:45:57 GMT -5
I'd love to see the photo of notched wars. I didn't know there was such a thing. Cheers Donna Hi Donna Cropped/notched ear is present in the Australian Herd. I had a heifer calf born from an in calf heifer that I bought in Far Nth Qld that had both cropped ear and fused teats. I would not keep or breed from an animal with cropped ears. I think both parents would have to carry the gene for it to be expressed? Ian Nope. It shows up in varying degrees in heterozygous calves (don't slaughter both parents, LOL!).
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 19, 2013 4:54:27 GMT -5
Only three breeds carry the trait (notched ears); Dexters, Ayrshires, and Scottish Highlands. (All uncommon, antique breeds.) Do others agree with this post? Reading more The only one of those we have (that our AI tech is likely to have carried in his tank) is HIghland. She sure doesn't look Highland. The bottom line is, the only Dexter bull he had in his tank was the one I had ordered. Since he didn't have any other Dexters, and she definitely isn't the offspring of the intended sire (she couldn't be a dun if she was and he was ruled out via tail hairs) she has to be a cross. But with what? I guessed (wrong) Limo, but only because there are a lot around here. As was pointed out, she isn't that big, so she must be half some small or medium sized breed. There are some unusual breeds around here as we are in the top three for cattle raising states. Does that make sense? I sure wish I knew what it was. I will ask UCD what sort of test they can do to help. Oh, and she can't have PHA (mama cow is negative) unless the other breed carries it.
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Post by tarsallat on Jul 19, 2013 6:05:13 GMT -5
You didn't have a poll bull calf on your place when your cow was bred did you? Did you try Galloway?
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Post by cddexter on Jul 19, 2013 9:32:25 GMT -5
Alicia, I don't remember if you mentioned about pha, or if you think she is or should be a carrier. If she is, and the dam isn't, then a pha test will give you a definite lead. The Dexter pha mutation is unique to Dexters, on the same gene as shsorthorn/maine but at a completely different location on the locus. This would tell you either 1. she's all dexter, or 2. the non-dexter bull you think might be responsible does actually have some dexter in him.
I'm still going back to color. This heifer is homo bb at TRP1. So far the ONLY beige/brown coat color proven to be bb has been exclusive to Dexters. There is research in England to try to prove it came in from Red Poll, but this research is based on herd book data, coupled with a lot of assumptions.
I am personally very interested to find out if there is, in fact, some other breed that might carry the gene. That's why I've been all over you about tracking down the possible semen and getting it tested. In my private email to you, I offered to pay for the semen and testing. Any chance you are interested in proceeding?
cheers, c.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 19, 2013 10:32:59 GMT -5
I have the tails hairs packaged and ready to mail. I will call UCD to check if there is something else they can do, but should I just do the genotype? Would that tell me anything? The mama is PHA negative and only a few breeds carry it, so, it seems like a waste of money to test for that unless it is very common in, say, Red Poll.
As far as any other bulls...Texas A&M checked her against the AI bull, our bull (who wasn't even present at conception) and our steer. No other male cattle on our place within a year of conception and no neighbors have cows (and no breakouts). They even checked her against any other AI bulls owned by the breeder (who shall remain nameless). SHe is definitely polled and all of our cattle are horned. Weird.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 19, 2013 10:46:23 GMT -5
Just for fun, and because I have 20 mins. before I can call UCD, I found some newborn pictures of the mystery heifer. Here you can see her ears and her unusual color. She wasn't a normal chocolate that will turn black or a normal baby dun color either, was she? Maybe that's a clue to her daddy? Mama's normal round ears are clear here (so she can clear her name, LOL!). Good picture to show the difference in color of mama and baby. And one more because she was a cute little thing.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2013 14:24:50 GMT -5
I too am really interested in your predicament.
Did you get a list from the AI tech on the breeds he/she had in the tank? Would this help a little when contacting the testing lab?
(sorry if you have already said so, I haven't checked back through the posts)
My, she is gorgeous. That colour is really lovely.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 19, 2013 15:04:47 GMT -5
No answer yet from the tech.
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Post by cddexter on Jul 19, 2013 20:45:03 GMT -5
Donna, I'll reply to your notch ear question on the notch ear thread. c.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 20, 2013 4:37:24 GMT -5
I spoke with UCD and have to call back Monday to ask a different tech who does a 'breed identification test' if Dexters are included. The tech I spoke with wasn't sure and the person I needed to speak with was gone for the day. None of the standard tests would tell me anything except confirm who isn't the daddy. Please keep your fingers crossed for me. The AI facility where I store my bull's straws sees the AI tech often in his rounds and will try to get some more info as well, since he hasn't returned my call after I left a message for him.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Jul 20, 2013 5:29:03 GMT -5
Clearly it's only a small chance, but perhaps the straw was mislabeled at the time of collection? You can't throw out human error at that stage either. If you have any other straws from the same AI bull you may want to have them checked.
The calf really is pretty, and no Highland in her for sure (we've crossed Dexter our Highlands). I have no clue what she could have been crossed with. We do have two Highlands with notched ears. My wife hates the look but the cows are so nice in other respects that we deal with it. We look for big ears on Highlands because it creates a nice look with a broad and round face with their winter coats and hairy ears.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 20, 2013 6:14:58 GMT -5
I used three straws total (or should have). Let's see how many get dropped off. That will tell me a lot.
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Post by ssrdex on Jul 20, 2013 9:57:03 GMT -5
All a twitter here to find out how your story ends littlecowfl...keep us informed please!
Joel
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Post by cddexter on Jul 20, 2013 11:16:21 GMT -5
Alicia, what about Shome Zanadu's Andy? Although I think he was horned. c.
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