[Black.Wings]

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Genetics:

Base Color – E Locus
Determines whether black pigment (eumelanin) is produced.
• Eᴰ/_ – Dominant black: black base coat (unless modified by dilution or patterning).
• E⁺/_ – Wildtype: brown/bay base with darker points; expression varies with Agouti.
• ee – Recessive red: red base coat with no black pigment anywhere.

Agouti – A Locus
Modifies the distribution of black pigment (only visible if not ee).
• A⁺/A⁺ – Wildtype agouti coloring.
• A⁺/a – Wildtype agouti coloring.
• a/a – Non-agouti: solid black or solid base color with no pattern.

Chinchilla / Albino Complex – C Locus
Modifies red-based cattle only (visible only with ee).
*Note: Four alleles exist at this locus; cᵃ is omitted for simplicity due to near-identical expression to c.
• C/C – Normal red pigmentation.
• C/cᶜʰ – Mostly normal; may slightly lighten red pigmentation.
• C/c – Normal red pigmentation.
• cᶜʰ/cᶜʰ – Chinchilla: noticeably paler fawn, cream, or tan coat.
• cᶜʰ/c – Severe chinchilla: very pale cream or near-off-white coat.
• c/c – Albinism: extremely rare; total loss of pigment with white coat and pink skin/eyes.

Dilution – D Locus
Dilutes black pigment only (not visible in ee animals).
• D/D – Strong dun dilution: pale, smoky taupe coat.
• D/d⁺ – Dun: typical diluted black producing smoky, slate, or taupe tones.
• D/d – Dun: may appear slightly stronger or differently toned than D/d⁺.
• d/d – No dilution; black may appear charcoal or slightly brownish.
• d⁺/d or d⁺/d⁺ – No dilution; black may show a warmer tone.

White Patterning – S Locus
Controls the presence and distribution of white markings.
• S⁺/S⁺ – Solid coat; no white patches.
• S⁺/Sᵇ – Blazes, socks, and white underbelly.
• S⁺/Sᵇᵉˡ – Small, unrefined, broken, or incomplete belting.
• S⁺/Sᶜˢ – Color-sided pattern.
• Sᵇ/Sᵇ – Blazes, socks, white underbelly, and white-tipped switch.
• Sᵇ/Sᵇᵉˡ – Belted pattern with possible blazes and socks.
• Sᵇ/Sᶜˢ – Color-sided with bald face.
• Sᵇᵉˡ/Sᵇᵉˡ – Large, well-defined, complete belt.
• Sᵇᵉˡ/Sᶜˢ – Color-sided with a large, defined belt and high white volume.
• Sᶜˢ/Sᶜˢ – Strong color-sided pattern with heavy spotting and a dark topline.
• sᵖ/sᵖ – Heavy piebald pattern with large, irregular white patches.
• sᵖ/Sᶜˢ – Color-sided pattern broken and interrupted by large white patches.
• sᵖ/Sᵇᵉˡ – Belting becomes broken, blended, and irregular within large white areas.
• sᵖ/Sᵇ – Blazes, socks, and underbelly white added to large piebald patches.
• sᵖ/S⁺ – Mild piebalding with more color and fewer/smaller white patches.

Roan – R Locus
Intermixes white hairs evenly throughout pigmented areas.
• Rn/Rn – Heavy roaning; coat appears frosted, silvered, or very light.
• Rn/rn – Moderate roaning; head, legs, and topline often remain darker.
• rn/rn – Non-roan; no intermixing of white hairs.

Brindle – Modifier
Adds striping to agouti-patterned areas; requires A⁺ to be visible.
• Abr/Abr – Strong brindling on wildtype agouti.
• Abr/Abp – Very strong brindling on wildtype agouti.
• Abr/A⁺ – Visible brindling on wildtype agouti.
• Abr/a – No visible brindling (non-agouti suppresses pattern).
• Abp/Abp – Darkens the wildtype pattern; calves may darken with age.
• Abp/A⁺ – Darkens agouti points.

Brockling – Modifier
Adds colored hairs into white areas; opposite effect of roaning.
• Brk³ – Heavy brockling with dense freckling throughout white areas.
• Brk² – Moderate brockling, commonly on face, flanks, socks, and belts.
• Brk¹ – Light brockling with sparse freckles in white areas.

Sooty – Modifier
Adds dark shading over pigmented areas, typically on the topline, neck, shoulders, hips, and face.
• So³ – Heavy sooty overlay with strong charcoal shading across the coat.
• So² – Moderate shading concentrated on topline, neck, shoulders, hips, and face.
• So¹ – Light shading, primarily along the topline and upper body.