# Color genetics



## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

I got a new buck a couple weeks ago. Both parents are dappled and comes from several generations of dapple/spotted/red boers. I didn't buy him hoping to get dapples, I bought him because I'm hoping to get reds. Now that he's here though I've noticed that he is starting to have a roaning to his coat. Similar to a blue heeler in that he has white hairs mixed in with the red ones across his back and down his sides. He is also starting to get white hairs on his neck. Other than those hairs and a white spot on his foot he is completely red. None of the other red goats that I have/had have this kind of coloring. Is it possible that he is carrying the dapple gene?


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

It is possible if he comes from heavily spotted genetics.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

You know that's funny. Our heavily dappled doe Diamonds has a solid red sister named Ruby. Ruby has white hairs all over her body too. Ruby is bred to Teflon (who also has dappled genetics), so I'm curious to see what they have together. It is very likely your buck is carrying the spotted gene... The only way to know for sure though is to see his kids.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

I will have to wait and see what your doe has. I won't be seeing any kids from this buck for a year so I've got a long wait. I had read an article that said that an animal with even one spot could potentially produce spots. I don't know if the white on his foot would count as a spot though.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Well according to the article from MAX Boers, if a goat has even just one spot, and they are from strong dappled/spotted genetics they have the spotted gene and can produce spots/dapples. If there is a spot or two any where on a goat but the goat does not have any spotted genetics that spot is just like a face stripe or a spot on the hocks like some traditionals have, and that goat will not produce spots. I have seen a few breeders advertising their goats as being dappled/spotted when they only have two or three darker spots on their heads, and not from spotted genetics. It's kinda funny that they think that that goat will produce dapples/spots and is therefore more valuable than it really is. 

I think your buck has a good chance of producing spots. Do you have any spotted does that you will breed him to?


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

I have one doe that is from two spotted goats and a nubian that throws spots but the rest are solid red. I will be happy if I get reds from him, but dapples would be cool. I'm not going to hold my breath though. I did notice that some of the kids I got this year, from a buck whose sire was dappled, have dilute spots on their backs. They seem to be either on there heads or shoulder blades. It looks like a small bleach stain or on the dark kids it looks like a tan mark. It's kind of hard to describe. The markings show up out of nowhere and get bigger as they get older. Kind of weird


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Here are some of the weird colored kids we got this year from dappled lines. 2 of them are out of a heavily dappled doe and our paint buck. The first buck pictured has dapples close in his lines, but neither sire or dam are dappled. The one doe just got that 1 silver spot by her rear leg. She's out of the dappled doe in my signature picture...


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## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

AWWWWWW!!! 

Too cute!


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

How'd I know you would say that Amber?  That last one is Beauty...


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## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Crossroads Boers said:


> How'd I know you would say that Amber?  That last one is Beauty...


I was pretty sure that was her!


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Love those kids! Some of my red kids have those dark spots too. My kids aren't as nice as yours though but maybe someday


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Crossroads Boers said:


> Here are some of the weird colored kids we got this year from dappled lines. 2 of them are out of a heavily dappled doe and our paint buck. The first buck pictured has dapples close in his lines, but neither sire or dam are dappled. The one doe just got that 1 silver spot by her rear leg. She's out of the dappled doe in my signature picture...


I love the one on the top right pic


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

so here's another question, if I'm understanding correctly. In nigi's and nubians spots are 'moon spots' and of a different color not white. So in a Boer wouldn't spotted/dappled/ moon spots all be the same? And, would that also mean a white spot isn't dappled if it's not a different color- kind of like the red w dark red, or like teflon?


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

clearwtrbeach said:


> so here's another question, if I'm understanding correctly. In nigi's and nubians spots are 'moon spots' and of a different color not white. So in a Boer wouldn't spotted/dappled/ moon spots all be the same? And, would that also mean a white spot isn't dappled if it's not a different color- kind of like the red w dark red, or like teflon?


I'm not really sure I understand your question but Boers are usually described as spotted/polka dot or dappled. The spotted ones are usually a dark body with lighter circular areas that don't run into each other. The dapples are usually a lighter irregular pattern that runs together on a darker background like Crossroads doe in her picture. I don't think the spots/dapples have to be white they just have to be lighter than whatever other color they are. I've seen black goats with grey dapples. 
Clear as mud?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*WOW, Crossroads Boer, beautiful kids. It is just like my situation and my colored buckling exactly like that. His Sire is a traditional, with paints genetics and the Dam is Solid red, with paint genetics, no spot history. It is confusing for sure, where did that come from, LOL 
*


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Thanks Pam.  I remember that thread you had a little while ago about the red buckling with darker spots on him... sure is strange how those colors pop out!! 

I agree chelsboers....


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep, I know.


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## TMBoers (Aug 2, 2013)

Does this multi colored patch on this doe look like it is caused by the dapple genes or do you think it's just a dilute spot. 
One of her most recent kids is red with a yellow spot and multiple darker red spots like those on the kids pictured earlier on in this thread. The father of the kid has no spotted nor dappled ancestors. Parentage of this doe is unknown. Thanks in advance for your help.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Cool doe TM! It is kind of hard to see, but that may very well be a moon spot. Can you post a picture of her kid with the spots? If it isn't a white spot, than it must be a moon spot. Moon spots are usually light cream to a dark grey on a darker background.

Crossroads and Toth, I know this is an old thread, but I after considering it a while, I think that your kids' black spots might be a visual representation of co-dominance in a Boer goat with a red and a black gene. Wish I could word it better! Like, a normal Boer has two genes for red, and black Boers have two genes for black, but some, like yours, have one black and one red! That is what can cause black markings, the 'chocolate color' or any darkened points on a solid red kid. At least, that is what I have come up with...  They are super cute, too


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Hmmm maybe? But Crossfire ( the first buck pictured in my earlier post) doesn't have a single black goat in his lines... Not one! And yet he has the most black spots. ?? The grey wether pictured has a black dappled grandfather... ??


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

TM Boers... that doe definitely looks like she has dapples in her lines somewhere from the spot on her back.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if she had dappled kids bred to the right buck. 

She's pretty!


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Crossroads Boers said:


> Hmmm maybe? But Crossfire ( the first buck pictured in my earlier post) doesn't have a single black goat in his lines... Not one! And yet he has the most black spots. ?? The grey wether pictured has a black dappled grandfather... ??


Right, but the cool thing is, a goat doesn't need 2 black genes to pass down 1 to its kid  So maybe one of his parents has 1 red/1 black gene, and then passed the black gene down to him, so that he has 1 red/1black.

Like how your buck, Rich, is so dark because he possesses 1 red/1black gene. On his kids' page, there are a lot of black, and also a lot of black and red mixtures!!

So maybe it is Teflon who carries the black gene since so many of your kids this year had the black on them. It certainly makes them look cool


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

That is so neat, I love having that extra color boost, LOL


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## TMBoers (Aug 2, 2013)

Here are pics of her buckling kid with spots. Her doeling kid has no spots and prior kids were traditional colored.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Looks like a moon spot to me!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They are cute.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Yes, it looks like the buckling may carry the spotted gene with that spot. He should produce spots when bred to a spotted/dappled doe, but it would be unlikely for him to pass on spots if bred to a trad.


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