BWF x simmental

[RICHARDJ]

could anyone tell me what type of calves we could expect from a black white face cow (hereford/black angus cross) and a purebred simmental RWF bull (solid red body, some white socks & belly) We are having a home debate - thanks

[jeeves]

Last year, we found our calf coloring very inconsistent--got some BWF and black brockle and RWF and brockle or blaze--hereford/angus cows all bred to the same simm bull. This year, we only bred one of these cows to the simm bull--ended up with a red brockle. Hopes this helps your debate.

[koberst]

Hi, we raise purebred simmentals and have been focussed on blacks for about six years. This deal still throws a few curve balls. However , I have studied color dominance and expression as much as I could and here is my 2 cents and what 'should' happen. The key thing to keep in mind is that there are two separate factors, one being color the other being dilution. Your BWF cow is an easy example because of her background, we know with 99% confidence that she is carrying one BLK and one RED allele (I think that is the proper term). Black is dominant ,therefore she is expressing black. On the dilution side of things we know that this cow is only carrying non-dilution because she is BLK not grey and dilution is dominant over non-dilution. The Bull being a RWF is likely carrying two red alleles and also two non-dilution alleles otherwise he would be yellow. Remembering that a cow that is yellow is carrying the Red factor but also the dilution. Yellow is diluted red, there is no yellow allele. Confused yet? Good,me too ! Anyways! THeoretically your calf has a 50% chance of being either red or black. Likely with considerable amounts of chrome (white trim). It will be critical 'how red' the bull is. The darker red the less likely of the risk of a grey(diluted) calf. Hope this helps a little. Brian

[koberst]

Hi, we raise purebred simmentals and have been focussed on blacks for about six years. This deal still throws a few curve balls. However , I have studied color dominance and expression as much as I could and here is my 2 cents and what 'should' happen. The key thing to keep in mind is that there are two separate factors, one being color the other being dilution. Your BWF cow is an easy example because of her background, we know with 99% confidence that she is carrying one BLK and one RED allele (I think that is the proper term). Black is dominant ,therefore she is expressing black. On the dilution side of things we know that this cow is only carrying non-dilution because she is BLK not grey and dilution is dominant over non-dilution. The Bull being a RWF is likely carrying two red alleles and also two non-dilution alleles otherwise he would be yellow. Remembering that a cow that is yellow is carrying the Red factor but also the dilution. Yellow is diluted red, there is no yellow allele. Confused yet? Good,me too ! Anyways! THeoretically your calf has a 50% chance of being either red or black. Likely with considerable amounts of chrome (white trim). It will be critical 'how red' the bull is. The darker red the less likely of the risk of a grey(diluted) calf. Hope this helps a little. Brian