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Post by mydexters on Jul 12, 2016 12:22:56 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 mydexters on Jul 12, 2016 12:25:39 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 mydexters on Jul 12, 2016 12:27:33 GMT -5
As far as the notched ear I believe it is a recessive trait that showed up when the animals become too inbred
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Post by kansasdexters on Jul 13, 2016 7:25:09 GMT -5
mydexters - Notch ear trait is an incomplete dominant gene, and it only takes one allele in the gene pair for this trait to be expressed to some degree. An animal that inherits two notch-ear alleles (homozygous for notch-ear trait) will have severely notched ears (aka "butterfly" or "crop" ears). This trait is found in purebred and crosses of Highland cattle, Ayrshire cattle, and Dexter cattle (and other breeds that have been crossed with these breeds). You can find a good discussion on the topic of notch-ear trait on the Proboard, on the following thread: dextercattle.proboards.com/thread/2021
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Post by cddexter on Jul 13, 2016 10:35:39 GMT -5
mydexter: I think you are right about the Suffolk Dun, my thoughts, too, especially since the breed died out (intentionally) around 1906, when it was deliberately incorporated into Red Poll (sp) and Lincoln Red breeds. Because both reds (e and E+) override dun, dun could still be present because it cannot be expressed. After all these years, and two major bouts of foot and mouth disease which laid waste to both breeds, one would probably have to test almost every single specimen to determine if dun is still present, and even then it wouldn't prove much, because we know dun was out there, and SD's were small (and polled) and would have made perfect candidates for inclusion into the early foundation stock, being small already and all.
cheers, c.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 14, 2016 5:37:46 GMT -5
BTW, the cow in question was able to be registered and went off to a great working home as a milk cow. She was Dexter after all. The AI Terch mixed up the straws. I still don't know who owned that straw, but we identified the sire. With her, went the genetics that caused the notched ears. None of our herd carries the gene.
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Post by cddexter on Jul 14, 2016 11:08:27 GMT -5
Thanks, Alicia: your attitude is a far cry from the 'oh, isn't it cute, they're heart shaped, let's call them valentine ears, and encourage it'. Always knew you were a class act (smile). c.
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Post by littlecowfl on Jul 15, 2016 6:13:49 GMT -5
Wow, thanks!
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