Using parentage verification to save $ on obligate testing

[zephyrhillsusan]

I just sent off tail hairs for our new calf, and this was the cheapest round of testing I've done yet.  Why?  Because my herd sire and cows are genotyped and parentage verified, so with a $25 genotype, their calves have true obligate status for several things I used to have to test for.

I didn't need to test for horns because we dehorned the calf, so I know he's homozygous horned, but I decided to test anyway.  This is our first horned calf, and I wanted to be really sure that the vet (who really had to look for the buds) and I were right.  Next time, I'll save the money!  I can also see that the calf is clearly black and probably carries red, but I wanted to test for red to see what type he carries.  So I spent $30 that I didn't need to spend, just because I'm curious.  

However, I saved $40 in tests that I didn't have to order--because I know the calf is non-chondro, PHA negative and homozygous A2.  This is one of the benefits of having the sire's and dam's genotypes on file at VGL.  

Here's a blog post with screen shots of the VGL forms, walking through the process step-by-step.  For anyone who hasn't done it, it shows how to do parentage verification with a few easy clicks of the mouse, as long as the sire's and dam's genotypes are in your account.


 

[RedRidge]

Yes, I made a chart just the other day for a buyer who wanted to assure a herd with the most obligate statuses and fewest testing fees. Color will never be obligate unless you breed two blacks who do not carry red or dun, or two reds who do not carry dun. Or two dun who do not carry red.
The others are pretty straight forward...

Two horned give you obligate horned.
Two homozygous polled give you obligate homozygous polled.
No other horn combination can ever be obligate.

Non-PHA to non-PHA is obligate.
Non-chondro to non-chondro is obligate.

The conclusion... a single color (carrying no other color), all horned or all homozygous polled, non-chondro, non-PHA herd is the herd that will assure you the least necessary testing in future generations.

Their observation was that this makes an argument for wanting animals that do not carry other colors. I thought that was an interesting comment. Lol. They also commented that they didn't care what color they were so had no intention of testing for color and planned to always use a homozygous polled bull. So... either way... I commented, that they totally missed the point of choosing quality foundation stock. They disagreed. To each his own. Their goal is to maintain registerable, low testing fees stock. I suppose things such as quality will be thrown out the window. Hopefully by the end of the conversation they decided not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[kansasdexters]

RedRidge,

If you breed two reds together, you will always get a red. Red that carries dun or that is homozygous for dun is still RED. In order for dun to be expressed, there has to be a dominant black (ED) allele at the MC1R locus (aka Extension locus or red/black locus). A red that is homozygous for dun is registered as RED in Dexter cattle.


Patti

[zephyrhillsusan]

RedRidge, I've never heard of having the goal of breeding for low testing fees.   Hopefully some of what you said about quality will sink in and take root.  

My blog post is purely and simply to show that PV can save us money by not having to test for obligate status.  I wouldn't want someone to get the idea that saving money on testing is in any way, shape or form a breeding goal!  (I'll amend my blog post to be clear on that!)

kansasdexters, thank you for pointing out the details on red color testing.  

[RedRidge]

May 11, 2015 7:38:14 GMT -5 kansasdexters said:

RedRidge,

If you breed two reds together, you will always get a red. Red that carries dun or that is homozygous for dun is still RED. In order for dun to be expressed, there has to be a dominant black (ED) allele at the MC1R locus (aka Extension locus or red/black locus). A red that is homozygous for dun is registered as RED in Dexter cattle.


Patti

Correct. My bull in my photo is the perfect example as he is red and homozygous dun.
But they want to know what they carry and the only way to assure that knowledge is if neither parent carries anything. Yes they'll know what color they "are", but they want to know what they can't produce also.

[Pinevalleydexters]

Susan, Thanks for the informative blog. Filling out these forms can make you you scratch your head if you have never filled one out before.