color question

[muleman]

What color do you get when you breed a red to a smoke, yellow or orange? I have some red cows and I am thinking of breeding them to yellow jacket and Alias. Thanks

 

[leanbeef]

The two genes that determine color in this scenario are the basic color gene (red or black) and the dilutor gene which makes genetically black cattle smoke, and usually makes red cattle yellow or orange. If your cow herd does not carry the dilutor gene and both bulls are heterozygous for dilution, then you'll have a 50% chance of getting diluted calves from each mating. Since the is no clear distinction between shades of red, you may not know whether the red calves carry the dilution gene or not. Calves sired by Yellow Jacket will be varying shades of red or yellow. Alias may throw either smokes or blacks, and if he is heterozygous for the black gene (meaning he has one gene for black and one gene for red, and I don't know if Alias carries a red gene or not), you can also get reds and yellows from him. Black is dominant over red, and dilution is dominant over non-dilution. I'm assuming Alias is heterozygous for dilution...if not, then you couldn't get black because every calf with the black gene would also be diluted, so they'd be smoke.

 

[renegadelivestock]

The two genes that determine color in this scenario are the basic color gene (red or black) and the dilutor gene which makes genetically black cattle smoke, and usually makes red cattle yellow or orange. If your cow herd does not carry the dilutor gene and both bulls are heterozygous for dilution, then you'll have a 50% chance of getting diluted calves from each mating. Since the is no clear distinction between shades of red, you may not know whether the red calves carry the dilution gene or not. Calves sired by Yellow Jacket will be varying shades of red or yellow. Alias may throw either smokes or blacks, and if he is heterozygous for the black gene (meaning he has one gene for black and one gene for red, and I don't know if Alias carries a red gene or not), you can also get reds and yellows from him. Black is dominant over red, and dilution is dominant over non-dilution. I'm assuming Alias is heterozygous for dilution...if not, then you couldn't get black because every calf with the black gene would also be diluted, so they'd be smoke.

alias will throw painted up calves as well......

 

[leanbeef]

Oh, the spot gene!...That makes things even MORE interesting!

The spot gene--in Simmental cattle, at least--is recessive, which means both parents have to have a copy & pass it on in order to produce a spotted calf. If your cows have Simmental, Maine, or Shorthorn blood, you will likely get some chrome out of any bull that carries a spot gene. If the cows are genetically non-spotters, like Angus or Red Angus, the calves may inherit a gene for spotting from the sire, but since it's a recessive gene, they won't express the gene, so they'll be solid.