Test results back post 10 - Homozygous Grays? Are both parents always gray?

[grayarabs]

I’ve been researching this so much my brain hurts.
I got my latest gray Arabian from a kill pen about 1.1/2 years ago.
He is thought to be 20 years old.
I don’t have his papers. Have no idea who he is. I assume he was registered.
Finding him on the AHA Datasource would be a momentous task.

I might have some clues that might help narrow down the search - if they’re not shot down.
At age 20 - he is not fleabitten.
He has vitiligo underneath one eye.

Perhaps he is a homozygous gray?
Even though he’s a gelding I could have him tested?

If he is homozygous gray - would that mean that both his sire and dam were grays?
I think so. I hope so.

That would mean I could go on the AHA Datasource and plug in:
-1999 foal (or 1998 or 2000)
-male
-gray - (if homozygous the graying is seen early on?).
-both parents gray. ( If both gray would help tremendously in the search).
-markings (his are distinct)

That would narrow things down enough to hopefully identify him / give me the impetus to even try.
Otherwise going line by line through thousands of gray males (for example could be registered as black stallion or gray gelding…) seems impossible.

I so badly want to know who he is.
He would not have DNA on file - having been born prior to 2002.
I don’t have Datasource but would subscribe if I thought there was a reasonable chance of finding him there.
Thanks.

[cloudyandcallie]

I don’t know the answers to your questions but that is one lucky horse. I hope you find out who he is and why.

[Didi]

If he is homozygous then both parents would be gray. Homozygous means that both alleles are identical. Gray is a dominant gene.

[Simkie]

Yes, if he tests as homozygous grey, both parents would have to be grey. Yes, you can certainly test a gelding.

His extension (red/black) and agouti (bay) status may also be useful and help narrow down his parentage. I think UCDavis and Animal Genetics both have color packages.

Good luck!

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[BravAddict]

Is it possible that even if his own DNA is not on file, sending his DNA sample to the AHA could allow him to be matched to his parents? For example, if either his sire or dam had offspring after 2002, might they themselves have DNA profiles on file with which his could be matched?

[MissAriel]

You could certainly test for the homozygous grey, which would indicate that both parents were grey. Both UCDavis and Animal Genetics have the grey test. If you use UCDavis, be sure to get the separate grey test, as the grey test in the panel won’t tell you if he is homozygous or not, just if there is at least one grey gene.

Best of luck - I hope you find out his origins.

[Edre]

Homozygous greys don’t necessarily grey any earlier or faster than heterozygous greys. It just means they have two copies of the gene for grey the grey modifier (and only one is necessary for a horse to be grey).

So if your guy is GG, he’s homozygous. A Gg horse would also be grey but heterozygous. And a gg horse isn’t grey.

as others have said, you can absolutely test your guy. Animal genetics has some equine packages that may be useful for you to consider.

[Leather]

I’m not sure how accurate the AHA registry is, but I’ve seen in other registries horses registered under the color they are born with since they don’t grey out until later.

So you might not want to limit yourself to a search for two grey parents as they might not be registered as grey despite actually becoming grey.

[grayarabs]

Thank you all very much. I will have my horse tested. If he is Homo-Z - good idea to start search using two gray parents. I haven’t looked at Datasource in a long time. If it’s the same as always has been - one has to click on each horse - look - close out - go on to the next. On a slow laptop - I can only imagine. I’m glad it can be done. With my bad health and painful eyes (Lyme Disease) I just haven’t been up to it. I’m trying not to get my hopes up - but am starting to think this is really possible. Thanks again.

[grayarabs]

Results back from UC Davis. Not Homo-Z. He is listed as N/G. I was so hoping he would be G/G so my search on AHA Datasource could possibly narrow things down. ie both parents gray. Would knowing my horse is N/G be of any value? Would that mean that one parent was gray and the other one not gray??? Or could both parents still have been gray resulting in N/G offspring?

[Highflyer]

Yes, unfortunately all you can tell from this is that one parent was gray, the other could have been either heterozygous (Gg) or not gray (gg) at all. All you can tell is that it must have carried and passed down (g).

[Simkie]

@grayarabs

Results back from UC Davis. Not Homo-Z. He is listed as N/G. I was so hoping he would be G/G so my search on AHA Datasource could possibly narrow things down. ie both parents gray. Would knowing my horse is N/G be of any value? Would that mean that one parent was gray and the other one not gray??? Or could both parents still have been gray resulting in N/G offspring?

One or both parents were grey. One parent contributed the grey gene and the other did not, but a heterozygous grey parent has one grey gene and one non grey gene and can contribute either one.

Unfortunately doesn’t help you much You’re looking for either one or two grey parents.