Can I Test for the Polled Allele? If so, Which Breeds?

Darrh Bullock (University of Kentucky): Do we have a genomic test for the polled allele? The answer is yes. What I recommend is that you make sure you contact the breed association for the breed that you’re interested in buying a bull from or check with the seed stock producer that has that breed and find out if that bull has been tested for the polled allele, for homozygousness for the polled allele and that’s the best way to ensure that you have a genomic test. Be careful with terms like “double polled bred” because that just means that both parents were polled, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the bull that you’re interested in is homozygously for the polled allele. So, as I say, check with the breed association for the specific breed that you’re interested in, find out what companies they deal with to do their testing and then make sure that the bull you’re interested in has been DNA tested for homozygousness.