The genetic basis for piebald patterns in cattle.

Evidence is given for the existence of a dominant mutant, Bl, found in Simmental and some other breeds of cattle that is responsible for white facial pattern. This mutant is independent of the mutant responsible for the typical white facial and body pattern of the Hereford breed. Also, evidence is presented to support a multiple allelic series composed of SH (Hereford pattern), SCS (color-side pattern), S+ (non-spotted wild type), and s (recessive spotting pattern). Alleles SH and SCS are codominant to each other and incompletely dominant over S+, SH, SCS, and S+; all appear to be completely dominant over s. The Dutch belted pattern is probably controlled by an independent dominant mutant, Bt.