The American Hereford Association has identified animals with Hypotrichosis (HY), a genetic recessive resulting in partial to almost complete lack of hair. Affected calves are often born with very short, fine, kinky hair that may fall out leaving bare spots or areas particularly susceptible to rubbing. The condition may vary in expression as the animal matures and is usually less noticeable in older animals. The hair coat color will sometimes appear "frosted" or "silverish." In addition the tail switch may be underdeveloped.

While not technically a lethal trait, from the above description from the American Hereford website, it is clearly a serious genetic defect. The Genex bull 1HP00824 RV Stocker 6662 has been identified as a carrier of this recessive. As we have with other bulls carrying deleterious recessives, Genex will immediately stop marketing semen from Stocker effective October 20, 2010.

If you have purchased semen on Stocker within the past 24 months, Genex will issue a credit on your account for these units. Contact your local representative to initiate this process and for instructions on returning the semen. Genex will not replace semen that has been used already and those calves will be eligible for registry. Remember only half of the offspring will be carriers and an affected calf will occur only one in four times when two carriers are mated. If any effort has been made to avoid inbreeding, we would not expect to have any affected calves on this sire.