Thread: A question in deer genetics

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I could be wrong but i don't think there is a "dominant" colour phase gene.
Maybe white is a bit recessive? But more likely they get shot because they stick out like dogs balls.
Common is only called that because its the common phase where we got them from.
Locally most herds are Common or Melanistic with a spattering of Menal with white being very rare.
Because that is what was released.
My father released Common and Melanistic 25 odd years ago.
Eventually a white doe was born and she would be 14-16 years old now... Two years ago she had a white fawn.
Also some of the herd are now Menil.

That is interesting, you're right though for the sake of this topic I should've used "red" instead of "common". The trick would be that two recessive deer of the same colour could only produce another deer of that colour. Similarly if there are two deer of the same dominant alleles they would have to theortically produce the same coloured offspring although they could pass on other recessive genes which you wouldn't see.