SCID test is now available so that no foal will ever
have to die. There are many genetic problems there is no test for, we should
be grateful that we now have one for SCID. If the stallion is nice and you
think would be a great cross with your mare, have her tested and breed
according.
I agree with Maria----a test is
available for SCID, to determine carriers--just go to www.foal.org for further information
. I am definitely NOT of the opinion that all carriers
should be immediately shunned from breeding---it would be a case of throwing
the baby out with the bath water---we would lose too many good genes from the
breeding pool if we did this---and with a test for carriers why should we
throw them out? Now that we can test for it---it is
sort of "so what? I just won't breed a carrier to a carrier."
"Let's just breed wisely." You wouldn't deliberately breed for
conformational faults you can see--so you wouldn't breed deliberately to
create an SCID affected foal. All we have to do is
test-----and breed wisely. If, for some reason a
carrier IS bred to a carrier---the test can also tell you whether that foal is
clear, a carrier, or is affected and will die (this would be good to know
before many $$ were spent on heroic measures doomed for
failure). Inform--educate---test---
Claudia
Texas