Color Genetics of Gotland Sheep in North America

by Franna Pitt, PhD

Copyright, 2007

What color is this sheep?

Ooooo, tricky. Info: this is a Gotland/Hampshire 50:50 cross.

Basic Color - brown or black?

Pattern - white, badgerface, mouflon, English blue, grey, solid?

Spotting - spots, no spots

Extension - dominant, not dominant

Answer:

Basic color: BLACK (BB/BB?)

Pattern: WHITE (Agg/AWt)

Spotting: NO SPOTS (SS?/Ss)

Extension: NOT DOMINANT (E+/E+)

Almost there! So how did you do? The likely BB/BB is BB from Dad, and most probably BB from the Hampshire. Agg/Awt should be rote by now. Notice the tan face and legs. That is the "tan" part of Awt (white/tan), and is a classic illustration of phaeomelanin in a white sheep. I'll bet her "grey" offspring will be more tan-grey than blue-grey. Ss because I know her sire has small head spots... so I cheated! SS? because Hampshires are white sheep and could carry all kinds of hidden alleles!

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