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Coat Color |
COAT COLOR PROBABILITY
The table of coat color probabilities is based
upon breeding to a palomino, in this case, specifically Sir RH
Maximilian.
The
genetic formula for palomino used in this table is based upon the color traits
inherited by “Max” from each parent as well as comprehensive research
of the coat colors in his background. This formula for palomino may not apply
to every palomino.
The
terminology used in this table, as well as the abbreviations for the color
alleles, follow the protocol developed by the Veterinary Genetics Lab at the
University of California, Davis, and specifically Dr. Ann Bowling, author of
Equine Color Genetics. Other excellent research has been done in the
area of equine coat color and every researcher uses their own vocabulary.
The generally accepted
abbreviations for the color alleles represents dominant traits (those that need
only be inherited from one parent to show in the offspring) by a CAPITAL
letter. Recessive traits (those that must be inherited from both parents to
show in the offspring) are represented by a lower case letter. The genetic term
“red” is used for horses that do not exhibit the black points pattern
of a bay, such as chestnuts, sorrels and browns. Genetically, these horses are
all reds that exhibit different ranges on the red color spectrum. The dilute
colors are buckskin (dilute bay), palomino (dilute red), and gruella (dilute
black). The dilute gene is superimposed over the basic body color and dilutes
the color accordingly. The roan and dun genes are inherited as specific color
patterns and are dominant genes. Sometimes these colors can be confused for one
another, such as buckskin for dun and gruella for mouse dun. This is where it
is important to look at the colors in the animal’s background to help
determine which is which. If one of the parents isn’t a roan or a dun, the
foal isn’t a roan or a dun.
It is of utmost importance to remember that these
possible coat color combinations are statistical probabilities, not guarantees.
For example, a one in four chance that the foal will be palomino is represented
as the fraction ¼. This does not mean that one in four foals will be
palomino. This fraction should be read as “each conception has a
one-in-four chance of being palomino”. Due to the randomness of nature,
the possibility exists that even if each conception has a chance of being
palomino, a palomino may never be produced. The best bet is to use this table
as a guide for what cannot be produced by specific color crosses. |
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You Suzanne Kissee for this Information. |
