Need to Avoid Spastic Paresis

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GoWyo

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We have an Irish Whiskey x Angus cow that had a spastic paresis calf a couple of years ago.  Do not want to do that again.  Looking at Unstoppable on this cow (couldn't get Monopoly clone with my main semen order), but see Unstoppable has Habanero (Pistol Pete x Powerplant) and Witch Doctor on the dam side.  Are Habanero and Witch Doctor suspects as far as spastic paresis?  Any SP calves out of Unstoppable out there?
 

Telos

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What is the sire of the SP calf? Closely lining up some Maine genetics appears to increase your chances but some believe it's found in all breeds of cattle.

I think this it something that gets swept under the carpet. When you make a living breeding these show cattle not very many people want to come foreword and tell you the genetics involved.

I think Unstoppable's pedigree is unique on the cow side being Habenaro x Witch Doctor x Pistol Pete which makes him line bred Power Plant and Pistol Pete. I couldn't tell you if he will sire SP calves.

All SP calves I've seen appear to be very straight but not all straight calves have SP.

 

knabe

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anything with black gold, ie cunia has the potential to throw spastic paresis.

the association supposedly has identifying the causitive allele a priority.  whether or not work has started, i don't know.
 

GoWyo

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Telos - the spastic calf was by Stands Alone.  He threw a monkey mouth on another cow.
 

chambero

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Ive had Ppete/Habanero descendent females throw SP calves.  Ive never had the same cow do it twice. 

It's pretty darned common I'm finding out from others including big time show cattle vets down here.

Honestly, I think its so unpredictable its not worth worrying about on individuals, just know that you are probably going to get hit with it every once in awhile.

If she was mine I'd find some way to get Monopoly or use a Char cross bull like Milkman, Choppin Wood, or Smoke n Mirrors.
 

Telos

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I really think you can reduce your risk. That particular mating was line bred to Ice Pick and line bred to the 805x cow (top and bottom). Just lots of Cunia and perhaps a combination of Etulason. These are always the ones I've seen when analyzing pedigrees of SP calves. Monkey Mouth is usually or always a Cunia related deal.

You can still repeat that mating and never get another SP calf. But I would personally stay away from getting those genetics too close the next time around.

Breeding these show calves is about getting as close to the edge without falling off. Just watch out with getting them too linebred and always look at the pedigrees when matching them up.

Monopoly might be the best mating. If she is really a tighter wound cow, I personally like Horn's Charolais bull sired by Yellow Jacket which is on his website. They have a video of him. Not a hairy bull but really designed well, IMO.
 

GoWyo

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Thanks a lot everyone.  I was wondering about the Habanero deal because so close to Power Plant and with the Pistol Pete factor.  Also suspected Witch Doctor since I have seen some cattle that seemed a little too straight, but maybe he doesn't have anything to do with it.  Will probably sit on the Unstoppable until we figure out the right cow.  If SP and Monkey Mouth are recessive, I suppose, on average, calves will express it 25% of the time.  It would be a great thing if we could test for it like TH and PHA. 

I do know that the cow that had the monkey mouth calf also had one the year before from a different sire, and both of those calves were thick as the dickens and awful straight as well.  We do not breed her to any Maine Anjou bulls after 2 monkey mouths in a row.  She is half simmental - half maine and seems to click well on simmental.
 
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