The Animal Genetics lab will close for Spring Break on March 17th.
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We do not offer ancestry testing for dogs, cats or any other species – just horse.
Horse Services
Individual genotyping/DNA profile/Genetic Marker Report, ancestry testing and parentage verification. Price is $55 per animal.
We provide coat color and pattern testing: Red/Black, Agouti, Tobiano, Sabino, Cream, Silver, Leopard Complex and Champagne. Each color test is $25 a piece. Red and Black are considered one test. Horse color testing form.
Upon request, breeds can be tested for specific color genes or homozygous/heterozygous mutations for diseases.
We do genotyping and parentage verification for donkeys, however no ancestry testing for donkeys.
Molecular Cytogenetics and Genomics Laboratory offers karyotyping analysis for a variety of animals such as cattle, horse goats, pigs, dogs, cats and exotic species.
Cattle Services
Cattle services include parentage and individual verification and the determination of gene mutations. Currently, tests for homozygous/heterozygous genes are done for Pulmonary Hypoplasia Anasarca (PHA), Chondrodysplasia, A2 Beta-Casein milk, as well as coat color (red, black, or dun), Tibial Hemimelia (THA) and polled/horned. Prices vary based on test packages available and are located in the Cattle Testing Form.
All tests are accredited and recognized by the American Dexter Cattle Association registry.
Equine Color and Pattern Testing
All horses have base color – black, bay or red (chestnut/sorrel), that are controlled by interaction of two genes Extension and Agouti. There is a multitude of genes that modify (dilute/delete) these pigments and allow a huge variety of coat colors and patterns seen in the horse.
The Extension gene controls the production of the black/red pigment. The dominant allele E produces black pigment and recessive allele e produces red pigment.
E/E |
Black |
The horse tested is homozygous black and will not produce red foals regardless of the color of the mate. |
E/e |
Black |
Both black and red factors detected. Basic color of the horse will be black, brown or bay. Will transmit E or e allele to the offspring. |
e/e |
Red |
The basic color of the horse is chestnut or sorrel unless modified/diluted by other modifying genes |
Agouti gene controls the distribution of the black pigment. The recessive allele a uniformly distributes black pigment over the entire body. The dominant A allele restricts black pigment to the points of the body (lover legs, mane, tail and ear rims). Agouti gene does not have any effect on the red color.
| A/A | Bay | Black restricted to points/bay |
| A/a | Bay/Buckskin | Black restricted to points/bay |
| a/a | Black | Black pigment distributed uniformly. |
Dilution Genes
The cream dilution affects both black and red pigment. Black horses can be heterozygous carriers for the CR allele with no or very little coat dilution, while black horses homozygous for the CR/CR mutation have a smoky cream coat.
| N/N | Chestnut/Sorrel/Bay/Black |
| N/CR | Chestnut/Sorrel – Palomino Bay – Buckskin Black – Smoky Black |
CR/CR |
Chestnut/Sorrel – Cremello Bay – Perlino Black – Smoky Cream |
Champagne coat color in horses is controlled by a single, autosomal-dominant gene (CH). Champagne dilution is caused by a dominant gene meaning a single copy of the gene will cause a visibly champagne horse. Unlike cream dilution, there are no visual differences between a horse with one copy or two copies of Champagne. It’s possible for a horse to have several dilution genes that will contribute to dilutive effect actual color of the horse.
| N/N | Non champagne |
| N/CH | Positive for dominant Champagne gene. Heterozygous horses have a 50% chance of passing the gene on to its foals |
CH/CH |
Homozygous champagne horse. Will always pass one copy of the champagne gene to its foal and offspring will be Champagne dilute |
The Silver coat color, also called Silver dapple, in the horse is characterized by dilution of the black pigment in the hair. This phenotype shows an autosomal dominant inheritance. The effect of mutation is most visible in the long hairs of the main and tail, which are diluted to a mixture of white and gray hairs. Horses that are homozygous for Silver seem to exhibit a more diluted coat color compared to the heterozygous. Silver dilution has little to no effect on red color.
| N/N | Non Silver |
| N/Z | A black silver horse exhibits a phenotype consisting of slightly diluted body, often with dapples, and a shiny white or flaxen mane and tail. Little to no effect on red color. |
Z/Z |
A black silver horse exhibits a phenotype consisting of slightly diluted body, often with dapples, and a shiny white or flaxen mane and tail. Little to no effect on red color. |
The Grey phenotype is caused by a duplication in the STX17 gene. We report presence or absence of gray. Will not determine the number of copies of the gray gene. Gray is dominant gene that causes progressive de-pigmentation of the hair and acts upon any base color of the horse.