The Value of Genetic Testing

[Joanne]

I often think how lucky we are now to have testing available. When I started breeding 19 years ago, testing was in its infancy and we did not have the frame test available. Breeders lost more foals due to our lack of knowledge.

Even with a few tests not being as complete as we would like, the important "lethal" tests are acurate. And foals that may have slipped through the cracks and been missed phenotypically, can now be caught.

Here is a case in point from this year. We just got the test results back on these foals and their results:



Pacific Copy Cat a Silver Bay Frame and Splashed White Colt



Pacific Ocean Myst "Misty" A Black Frame, Sabino, and Splashed White Filly

Without testing we would not be certain what they carried. Sure, we could guess, but not be certain.

Thank goodness for the available tests !

 

[eagles ring farm]

So true Joanne

It has to have been so devastating to have a lethal white foal born before the test was available

So without a doubt one of the most valuable tests available to us as breeders.

It's always nice to be able to know genetically what color a horse is when it comes to breeding

but not as important as sparing a death sentence for a heartbreaking foal born Lethal white.

Your foals are gorgeous!!

my hope now is for the important dwarf gene test to be available in the future