***Testing in Progress***

Goat coat color is determined by multiple independent genetic loci interacting together. The main contributors are:

• Agouti locus (pattern) — controls distribution of eumelanin (black/brown) vs pheomelanin (tan/red/cream).
• Brown locus (B locus) — switches eumelanin from black → brown variants (dark/light/medium).
• Modifiers — affect intensity of tan shading (cream vs tan vs red) and can make some patterns lighter.
• White spotting — introduces white patterns independent of pigment loci.

To be able to use the predictor below, follow the following steps:

1. FIRST ignore all white areas of your goat.
2. Determine their Agouti locus. (Carefully read descriptions and the Goat Color Explained page.)
3. ***Note, each goat will have TWO copies of an locus, 1 from each of their parents.
4. Does your goat have black or brown eumelanin? (Read about Brown locus.)

Remember dominant genes can hide surprises, while recessive genes cannot.

The simulator below will take parent genotypes for these loci and produce a set of possible offspring phenotypes, along with rough probabilities.

Limitations

The above predictor:
1. Simplifies dominance relationships (many Agouti patterns interact more complexly).
2. Assumes modifier effects are simple (real modifiers can form gradients).
3. White spotting is treated as single dominant trait, while in reality, multiple white spotting patterns exist (flowery, Goulet, etc.).