Quick Summary
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Phenotype: Dun-colored Dexter cattle have coats in shades of dark brown to gold.
Mode of Inheritance: Autosomal recessive
Alleles: B = Undiluted pigmentation, b = Diluted pigmentation (dun dilute)
Breeds appropriate for testing: Dexter, Dexter crosses
Explanation of Results:
- Cattle with B/B genotype will not be dun dilute and cannot transmit this dun dilute variant to their offspring.
- Cattle with B/b genotype will not be dun dilute, but are carriers. They will transmit this dun dilute variant to 50% of their offspring. Matings between two carriers result in a 25% chance of producing a calf with dun dilution (dun or red color depending on the presence of red alleles).
- Cattle with b/b genotype will be dun dilute (produce diluted black pigment in their coats) and may be dun or red depending on the presence of red alleles (MC1R genotype). They will transmit this dun dilute variant to all of their offspring.
$30 one test per animal
Also available as part of the following packages:
$40 this test + one test from list below
$50 this test + two tests from list below
$60 this test + all tests from list below
- MC1R (Extension) - Red/Black
- Dexter BD1 Bulldog Dwarfism (Note: $75 flat fee for Bulldog Dwarfism BD2 test)
- Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca (PHA) in Dexters
Sample Collection
Most of the cattle DNA tests offered by the VGL are carried out using cells from the roots of a hair sample (roughly 20-30 hairs).
Hair samples should be taken from the switch of the tail, the poll, or the neck.
1. Clean (use comb if possible) tail switch, poll, or neck by removing all loose hair and foreign matter.
2. Use fingers or pliers to grasp approximately 8-10 hairs close to the skin and pull. Pull (do NOT cut) hair strands. Examine the end of hair strands for presence of root bulbs. Hair roots are necessary for DNA testing. If the majority of hair strands lack the root bulbs, discard hair and start again.
3. Repeat until you have approximately 20-30 hairs with root follicles attached.
4. Place the 20-30 hairs with root follicles attached in the envelope and seal with the animal’s ID written on the envelope. If hairs are long they can be taped to the submission form. Do not tape the roots.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each additional animal being sampled.
Note:
- Hair should be dry.
- If hair has excess dirt and debris, please brush out if possible before pulling hairs for sample.
- Do not cut the hair! The roots contain the DNA for testing.
- When sampling several animals in the same session, make sure that there are no hair strands in your hands to reduce the possibility of sample contamination. Clean hands and/or pliers if possible.
The dun coat color in Dexter cattle is a dilution of black pigment (eumelanin) caused by a recessive mutation in the gene tyrosinase related protein 1 (TYRP1), also known as the Brown locus. The hair color is diluted to shades of dark brown to gold. Red pigment is not diluted by this mutation.
This genetic test is specific for the Dexter Dun mutation.
