Breeding dwarf gene carriers (not Dwarfs)

[horsehug]

Hi John,

In your opinion, until we can identify carriers with testing, should all horses that have produced a dwarf be removed from future breeding? Or do you find that in some or even many cases, horses that have produced a dwarf still have enough good qualities to contribute to the betterment of the breed when bred to other partners?

And once a test is developed in the future, so that we can identify them, could we not still breed carriers to non carriers with the assurance that they would not produce a dwarf?

Thanks,

Susan O.

 

[Arion Mgmt]

Susan,

OKay this is going to be more of my ethical and caring, personal opinion and less of my scientific opinion.

Science opinion would be to not breed them, the quicker they are removed the quicker we can breed dwarf free Miniatures.............,

HOWEVER and BUT!!!!!!

 


We cannot punish breeders that have bought, bred, invested into horses on a false pretense, ie unknown genetics. It is in essence noone's fault currently, we have to look at the past for blame, and that can only be to look at our past history and move forward. Removing certain horses might be financially acceptable to some, others no, and some horses that are carriers have such an overall positive impact it would actually hurt our progression of the breed.

 


I do not believe ALL horses that have produced a dwarf be removed from a breeding program. In a perfect world with no consequences that might work. I'm just glad no higher power decided to do that to humans. We made this mess, God didnt, directly. We were the hands-on managers.

 


This is not cows, we cannot send them to slaughter like they did to "remove" the dwarfism in the Hereford and Angus breeds.

 


That being said, I believe WHEN the dwarfisms are characterized, sequenced and testes developed, we should teach our members what to do to breed the diseases out. We should label carriers on their pedigrees and NON-CARRIERS, and if someone wants to breed to carriers, remember, these are possessions owned by humans, legally we cannot keep anyone from doing anything with their possessions as long as it is not abuse.

 


Now all you PETA people can sit and rotate, breeding horses carrying a diseased gene is not abuse, how many of you PETA have a recessive or DOMINANT diseased, undesired gene that should not be perpetuated??? Should you reproduce, since you feel animals have the same rights as us??

 


Now if a dwarf is born, it is the owners decision what to with it. I have my protocol, some have a different one. I just hope you give me a call.

 

 


Also, breeding carriers to non-carriers will NEVER produce a dwarf. The non-carrier only give normal genes, and the carrier will only give a dwarf gene 50% of the time; so 50% of the resulting foals will be 100% normal and NEVER produce a dwarf, and the other 50% of the foals will only be carriers.

 


John