Re: [AlpacaTalk] BEW
Hi Wendy;
Unless I were to actually see his eyes, I couldn't tell you but based on the fact that he is white with a pink nose and mouth, it sounds like he may have the BEW attributes of come sort, but can't be sure.
Reading the things about BEW and how the genetics themselves cause this or are pulled is a hard read, I will admit that. However, the concept of a blue eyed anything beside the Vienna Rabbit is a genetic flaw. Anyone who jumps back with, "Well then blue eyed humans are a flaw too, so this can't be right!" makes me want to scream. Believe it or not, humans also suffer from something just like the BEW and is called Hirschprung disease. It is the exact same way and the same reason BEW come to be how they are. Mammals are mammals, there is not a lot of difference to some degree when it comes to genetics and the flaws that accompany them.
I would also be interested to know his Country of Origin. Like I had said in a previous post about the flaws more commonly found in what CoO, Bolivians are more known to produce the blue eyes, but mind you, not all of them. Peruvians are known to be the second most common. While your Chileans are seen with Blue eyes, I don't see this very often. Not saying they are better by any means, merely stating something I have noticed. I am not sure of the bloodlines but looking for blue eyes in the background of an animal can make you want to throw yourself off your chair, especially when looking at large backgrounds. I have had to do this with every animal we have looked into buying, into breeding our males to, etc.
Just because BEW females are being bred and not producing BEW animals DOES NOT make it ok or any better. In fact, you are upping your chances of this BEW issue being thrown further down the line not to mention adding this genetic flaw into the offspring, therefore bleeding it into other lines. I know of many farms who are trying to avoid the BEW problem and aren't happy to hear that people are still breeding these types of girls. Even though they may be breeding to dark males to "lessen" or "rid of" the genetics, it doesn't work that way, and it is only making the problem worse. Just to prove how much one farm thought this was a bad trait to have, as stated in my other post, he would have the crias, and parents of these crias culled or removed from the program to remove the problem animals. This man is still very highly respected, and did this for many, many years at his farm.
You are correct in saying there are things beyond our control. However, if you can minimize your risk by preventing breedings or buying animals that have known BEW in their background, you are saving yourself some trouble. There would be a difference between not being able to find them when exhausting all options, and then having people breed them because they do not care.
As for Andy Merriwether, I have never personally spoken with him but I will say this much. You either have a dark-eyed animal, or you don't. I would not imagine that a vet who is extremely well liked and best friends to many is going to lay down the law on genetically faulted or BEW animals that are still being bred and used in programs. No vet wants to be hated for telling a large amount of people that their breeding programs aren't worth much when it comes to breeding blue eyes or producing them.
Wendy, do what you feel is right. If you would like me to help you, I would me more than happy to try and see if I can find some information for you on the lines who produced this male or just in general.
Kindest regards,
Maegan Blessing
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wendy Edwards" <wendy.edwards@
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogro
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 9:39:40 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] BEW
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posted by Chaddo at 1:58 AM
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