LuckyRider Western Lifestyle – Westernridning
The first DNA test is now available for Appaloosa coat pattern and Congenital Stationary Night Blindness or CSNB.
Animal Genetics is very pleased to announce that it has been offered a license from the University of Saskatchewan to begin offering the first DNA test for Appaloosa Leopard Print (LP) coat pattern and CSNB.
DNA testing can identify horses that have the genetic mutation responsible for both LP and CSNB. Heterozygotes (LP/lp), or horses with a single copy of the mutation, have spotted blankets and do not suffer from CSNB. Horses that are homozygous for the mutation (LP/LP) have snowcap blankets and will suffer from CSNB.
Congenital Stationary Night Blindness (CSNB), or simply “night blindness”, is the name given to an inherited disease with these characteristics:
a) impaired/absent night vision
b) non-progressive
c) inherited
d) present at birth
This test will be a valuable tool for identifying horses that carry the mutation and will help prevent breeding horses that will be affected by CSNB. Another interesting aspect we found during the development of our LP assay was that many horses listed as roans actually tested LP/lp or LP/LP.
For more information please go to Appaloosa Testing.
We would like to offer a special thanks to the Appaloosa Project, Dr. Rebecca Bellone, and all the other people involved in the discovery of the mutation responsible for LP and CSNB.
