# Coat Color Genetics



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

So I've been trying to find out more about the genetics behind goat color patterns. I love learning about those types of things, even though they can be complicated at times. However, I noticed that it seems...the information I am looking for has been hard to find or poorly organized. I also learned that the genetics of goat coat colors isn't nearly as well documented as say, chicken genetics.

Anybody know of a good resource to learn?

I found this info page at Buffulo Creek Farm. But it seems all the pictures to go along with explanations are broken (or is it just my computer? I see nothing on that page, just an x where a picture should be). I am a visual learner, so it kinda bummed me to find a potential goldmine, that I can't see.

It seems color unpredictability is a huge thing with Nigerian Dwarves. But I kinda like an idea of what may pop out. My buck George is almost a solid chamoisee (small white patch on his side), and my doeling Dulce de Leche is a solid buckskin. So when Dulce is old enough to breed, I wonder what kids the two may produce.


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## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I bred a pure white doe to a mostly white buck and got tri-color doe:


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## GingersMaMa (Aug 4, 2011)

KW farms has a great site about Nigerian Dwarfs colors !


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## TiffofMo (Jan 10, 2011)

Yes her site is awesome i have it saved and always visiting it to decided on color or something lol http://nigeriandwarfcolors.weebly.com/coat-colors.html


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

I've seen that awesome site showing the differences and how to identify coat colors, but I am looking for the _genetics_ behind it all. What alleles makes a buckskin, and what happens if a buckskin is crossed with something else, for instance? Can things be predicted at all? There has to be something about genetics. I mean, I know some of the basics, such as polled and blue eyes being dominant. I like outcomes, having an idea of what certain crosses can produce.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

that would be pretty cool to know.
I've seen lots on horses but nothing on goats yet.

I'm no help at all but here's what I have for blue eyes.
Odds for Blue Eyes -
Bb = heterozygous blue eyed
BB = homozygous blue eyed
bb = brown eyed

BB/BB = 100% homozygous blue eyed kids
BB/Bb = 50% homozygous and 50% heterozygous blue eyes
BB/bb = 0% homozygous and 100% heterozygous blue eyes
Bb/bb = 0% homozygous , 50% heterozygous, 50% brown eyes
Bb/Bb = 25% homozygous, 50 % heterozygous, 25% brown eyes
bb/bb =100% brown eyed


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

The foxcroft page used to be really helpful, but the photos no longer work and it's become a bit outdated. There's just not enough research...that I can find...that's been done on goat color/pattern genetics. Sometimes it can be so random. A general rule though...black x black = black Chocolate x chocolate = chocolate and that is pretty common when crossing most patterns or colors...breed the same patterns and a lot of the time the same pattern is produced...but i've definately had some surprises over the years.

I'm planning on having a page on one of my websites that shows the sire/dam and the kids they produced from the breeding. Might be kind of interesting to see results like that.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

That would be cool Kylee! 

We have gotten colors in our two years that I would have never thought of coming out of a pair!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Here's a site with drawings of the patterns, but not many actual photographs.

http://www.goatspots.com/genetics.html

I hope that helps a little. But like others are saying, not much is known for sure about goat coat color genetics.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

This explains the genetics in depth, or at least as in depth as possible. Some is based on sheep genetics.
http://www.cagba.org/genetics_goat_clr_20041.pdf


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