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IGENITY® for beef

sire bull cow dam

IGENITY® — Coat Color


Homozygous Black

Positive confirmation of homozygous black genotype can add significant value to herd sires, yearling bulls, donor dams and replacement females. IGENITY profile for coat color is an accurate, inexpensive coat-color test that can add value to your breeding decisions — and to the marketing of your cattle.

Alleles for red coat color can be present — and visually undetectable — in any black sire or dam.

  • ED for black coat
  • e for red coat
  • E+ for "wild-type"

Black Cattle (EDED, EDe, EDE+)

Since black is dominant over red, black animals may carry one or two copies of the black allele. Animals with two copies are truly homozygous black and ensure progeny will have at least one black allele and therefore the hide color will be black.

Red Cattle (ee, e+)

Most red animals are homozygous red (ee); however, a red animal may also possess a copy of the wild-type allele.

Wild Type (E+E+)

The wild-type allele is rare. Animals that carry one copy of the wild-type allele will usually be the color of the other allele they carry, although the presence of the wild-type allele can make them any color.


Have more questions?
Let an expert give you the inside information — igenity.support@merial.com.

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