Horn status in sheep - Development of a genetic test to detect genetic horn status in sheep

In sheep, the inheritance of hornlessness (polledness) is more complicated than in cattle and goats, resulting in the consistent occurence of horned individuals in certain sheep breeds. However, horns reduce the profitability of sheep production, especially when sheep are used for landscape conservation, and additionally present a risk  for humans and animals. In contrast to cattle, it has not been possible up to now to definitively determine the genetic horn status in sheep with a genetic test. In this project, samples from variants which are suitable do definitively determine the genetic horn status in sheep, or the potential inheritance of horns to their progeny, respectively, and to develop a genetic test which can be used in practical sheep breeding.