FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CURLY CALF SYNDROME INFORMATION

DEFOREST, WISCONSIN – September 18, 2008 – A notice was posted by the American Angus Association (read notice here), outlining the likely presence of a new Lethal Genetic Defect described as “Curly Calf Syndrome”. As stated in this communication, the most recent common ancestor in the affected calves’ pedigrees is G A R Precision 1680 (11520398).

If as described, the syndrome is inherited as a simple recessive

Not all Precision 1680 progeny will be carriers (only 50% would be expected to carry the gene).
Until a DNA test is developed it will be difficult if not impossible to tell which animals are not carriers.
Carrier animals are not affected and can be effectively utilized in a breeding program with caution especially when a DNA test is available.
Only when two carriers are mated can you potentially get an affected calf.
On average, mating two carriers will produce 25% affected calves, 50% carrier calves, 25% non-carrier calves.

Until more is known and a DNA test is available, the best course of action is to avoid doubling up Precision 1680 by not introducing him on both sides of a mating’s pedigree.

In order to assist our customers in making intelligent mating decisions we have attached a list clearly defining which sires in our Fall 2008 Beef Sire Directory have Precision 1680 in their 4 generation pedigree and which do not. (view list) For those sires that have Precision 1680 in their pedigree, we have calculated the likelihood that a sire is a carrier of the “Curly Calf” gene. As you can see from the chart only one sire has a likelihood of 50% with most having only a 1 in 4 or 1 in 8 chance of carrying the gene based on what we know today.

We would encourage breeders to be cautious in their upcoming breeding decisions but not to overreact in regard to animals in their herd or matings that they have already made. Once a DNA test is available, we will be able to identify both carriers and non-carriers and most effectively be able to utilize their positive traits while breeding around the abnormality.

Based on inheritance and the laws of probability, we should find from a population standpoint that ½ of the Precision 1680 sons and daughters are not carriers and that an even higher percentage of grand progeny are also free of the gene.

As additional animals are confirmed to be carriers, we will update this chart.

If you observe an animal with this type of abnormality, please report it to both ABS and the American Angus Association (request form).

At ABS you can contact Dr. Lynn Schultz at (608) 846-6216 or reach him at Lynn.Schultz@absglobal.com. The contact person at the American Angus Association is Don Laughlin at (816) 383-5140 or dlaughlin@angus.org.

Headquartered in DeForest, Wisconsin, ABS Global is the world-leading provider of bovine genetics, reproduction services, technologies and uddercare products. Marketing in more than 70 countries around the globe, ABS has been at the forefront of animal genetics and technology since its founding in 1941. ABS Global is part of Genus Breeding, a division of Genus plc.

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To receive the contents of this release electronically, please contact Alice Langer at alanger@absglobal.com, or (608) 846-6203.

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