Genetic analyses

The 16th December 2006 blood samples were taken from six (6) farms and of 11 cows in five counties. The selection of animals was based partly on the size of the heard and on how long the grey cattle had been on the farm. At one farm we selected also two animals that was not of grey color. The total of farms where we found grey cattle and selection decision:

Farm 1 Saare 1, selected as it had several grey cows.

Farm 2 Saare 2, not selected as this farm got its animals from Saare 1.

Farm 3 Saare 3, not selected, owner old, no person at farm to keep the cow when we take the blood sample.

Farm 4 Saare 4, not selected as this farm got its animals from Saare 1

Farm 5 Väike-Maarja, selected, line origin known.

Farm 6 Alavere 1, selected as it had several grey cows and origin known, kept at farm for a long time.

Farm 7 Alavere 2, not selected as this farm got its animals from Alavere 1.

Farm 8 Saku, not selected, old owner and no person at farm to keep the cow when we take the blood sample.

Farm 9 Harku, not selected, old owner and no person at farm to keep the cow when we take the blood sample.

Farm 10 Märjamaa 1, selected as the former owner had kept grey cows for a long time.

Farm 11 Märjamaa 2, selected. We visited the farm but the cow was angry and too big, owner old and could not keep the cow so that we could take the blood sample.

Farm 12 Märjamaa 3, not selected as same line as Märjamaa 2

Farm 13 Märjamaa 4, not selected, could not find the origin of the line

Farm 14 Kullamaa 1, selected, this was the oldest cow in Kullamaa line

Farm 15 Kullamaa 2, not selected, this was the son of the cow at Kullamaa 1

Farm 16 Hanila, selected, it had 2 grey cattle and we knew that the line origin.

Farm 17 Vastse-Antsla, not selected as same line as in Hanila

We visited 7 farms but were able to take blood sample only from cows at 6 farms. If there was several cows on the farm we took of the founder cows, i.e. the oldest cows not related to each other at the farm.