Dexter Dun Color

The dun coloration in Dexter cattle is caused by the dilution of black pigment in the hair, producing shades of dark brown to gold. This color dilution is caused by a recessive mutation. Understanding basic color inheritance in Dexters can seem complicated because two colors: black and red, are located on one gene so its a simple "either / or", but then there is the color Dun which is more like an "on / off" that "hides" the color black.

So let's break the color options down into 9 simple principles. Dun comes in shades of blond, cocoa brown, strawberry blond, and mahogany. Duns always have a tannish brown nose and brown "eyeliner," although their eyes are typically lighter in color than the eyes of other Dexters.

Dexters come in three different colours; black, red and dun. But what makes a Red Dexter red or a Dun Dexter dun? Or for that matter allows a Black Dexter to have a coloured calf? Two major genes are involved in producing these colors. Clear as mud? Well it actually is not that confusing when we break it down.

B/B = normal looking black Dexter B/b = normal looking black Dexter (carries dun) b/b = brown Dexter Dun Dexter dun is a different dilute mutation than dun found in other breeds of cattle. It is unique to the Irish Dexter breed. Dexter Dun affects only black Dexters, making them appear different shades of tan to chocolate color pigment.

The Genetics of Dun The Genetics of Dun A Simplified Summary The very much simplified guidelines that we have followed in establishing and maintaining our dun Dexter herd are as follows: Dexter cattle each carry two colour genes - one from each parent. These can be either red, or black, or one of each. (Forget dun for a bit - it is not an ordinary colour gene.) Black is always 'dominant.

The genetics of Dexter cattle are fascinating as they showcase the interplay of several genes that determine coat color, one of the most visible traits. The color variations in Dexter cattle are typically black, red, and dun, traits governed by specific genes located on separate chromosomes. The unique color of Dexter Dun Dexter Dun Color - Brown Mutation Discovery When I began raising Dexters in 1992, I assumed that dun colored Dexters were the result of a brown mutation similar to that which exists in other species of mammals.

Dun is widely believed to have come into the breed through introgression of non Dexter blood into the breed. The primary colour gene in the Dexter has two principal alleles, red and black. The Dexter dun study concluded with the publication in 2003 of "TYRP1 is associated with dun coat color in Dexter cattle or how now brown cow?" by the International Society for Animal Genetics in their journal, Animal Genetics, 34, 169.