INCIDENCE OF CHROMOSOMAL ANOMALIES AMONG WESTERN CANADIAN BEEF CATTLE

One hundred and thirty-four bulls representing 11 different beef breeds were karyotyped. Abnormal karyotypes were found in eight animals. Five bulls carried one copy of the 1;29 translocation, two bulls carried two copies, and one bull was a 60,XX/60,XY chimera. No association between scrotal circumference and risk of carrying the translocation was found. All bulls carrying the translocation were of continental beef breeds. No translocations were found in the 38 bulls of the British breeds: Hereford, Angus, and Shorthorn. Key words: Translocation, chimera, chromosome, fertility, beef cattle