Re: RC: Re: CIDs

[Kathy Myers <magnumsmom@aol.com>]

Gwen wrote:
>See, here is what I think is a problem. Why cull a good stallion ( and
>yes I know there may be too many stallions out there anyway) just because
>of a positive test, when it would be a simple thing to breed it out in a
>generation or two anyway?

If you breed a carrier now, exactly when are you going to
breed the gene out later?  What's to keep breeders from
saying "We'll just breed it out later" next time too?

The other thing everyone needs to keep in mind is genetics
isn't as simple as one copy of the gene from one parent, and
one copy of the gene from the other.  It's just not that
clean.  Crossing over occurs fairly frequently...  when the
part of a chromosome from one parent actually partially
"swaps places" with the corresponding chromosome from the
other parent.  Crossing over is probably why we now have
"parti-color" Cocker Spaniels.  The coat color genes don't
always separate cleanly during meiosis.  There is quite a
bit about genetics out on internet.  A good example of
crossing-over can be found at:

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/GG/meiosis.html

And I really liked the post which said the sire gives both
a Y and an X to a colt.  Not true.  The sire gives either
a Y or an X... if the sperm carried the X gene, the foal
is a filly. If the sperm carried the Y gene, the foal is
a colt.  If the sperm carried both the X and the Y gene,
the foal has a genetic anomaly.

Anyways, if breeders want to get something out of the gene
code, they need to start now, not say they will do it later.
It's tough cutting what is otherwise a good looking animal.
But now several breeds of show dogs lose their teeth by
age 4 or 5 too.  Should we care that they finished their
championships by 2 1/2?  Should we care that the CIDs gene
is carried into later generations of our horses?  Will we
care in another 30 years?

Whats the difference between this and deciding when we'll
start paying off the national debt?  Just my own humble opinion.

- Kat Myers
in No. Cal. with Magnum the TB ex-racer
and Mr Maajistic... aka Blue... both geldings



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