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Re: [RC] [RC] SCID: Breeding Decisions - heidiI am from the day when you found out the HARD WAY you had a CID carrier. You wound up with a foal you had to euthanize. There was no other choice then to stop breeding those horses. That was heartbreak all around, not only the loss of a precious young life, but all the promotion, showing and expense you had gone to with the stallion and sometimes the mare. Thank god for progress in this case. And sadly, a great deal was lost to our breed because of so many such individuals being removed from circulation. It is a real heartbreak to research some of these families and find how many branches (and sometimes entire family lines) simply ceased to exist. I agree--having a test available is a godsend. A very major breeding farm just had an internet auction. Two of the mares offered were advertised as SCID carriers. They got plenty of bids. Especially since the one mare is the dam of Last years U.A.E. and European Junior Champion Filly. That filly had sold to the UAE as a yearling for $40,000. The "witch hunt" mentality is finally giving way, thank god. Yes, there is indeed progress in the understanding of this problem. VetGen feels that 28% of our population are carriers. Are you sure this is a current estimate? Early estimates were that high, but everyone that I've talked to who is in a position to make an educated statement about the estimate thinks that the original figures were probably too high, and that the current carrier rate is under 10%. But I know that early on, there were some thoughts that the carrier rate might have exceeded 25%. VetGen does see a higher percentage of positives than what the population rate is, for the simple fact that when people have tested clear individuals, they do not have to test their offspring, whereas those who are breeding carriers DO have to test the offspring. In my own group, I have several that do not need to be tested because of tested clear parentage, but I have three younguns who are offspring of known carriers, so they will have to be tested before they are of breeding age. So for an example, if I send in those three and one comes up positive, the "stats" would show that 33% are carriers, but those "stats" don't take into account the offspring of clear parents that are not tested. As a side note tests can be purchased through the F.O.A.L association for the reduced fee of $99.00. Thanks for adding that bit of info--I don't think anyone had yet mentioned that in this discussion. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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