# Is parrot mouth always genetic?



## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

If a goat has parrot mouth, is it always genetic? Can there be nutritional or other environmental factors? I have an adult doe, who I didn't realize until recently seems to have this problem. She obviously made it past babyhood, so must have been able to nurse with it.


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

It can be hereditary, but not always. I've had two parrot mouth kids born here over the years out of parents with normal mouths. Both these little bucklings had other things wrong with them as well, and were not related to each other. I think sometimes these things are a fluke just like birth defects in humans. My sister was born with club feet and a defective heart valve. No one else in the family including her two children have the problems. If this doe is already bred, I'd check the kids over carfefully when they are born and if there is a problem, I would not use any of them for future breeding.


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## Horsehair Braider (Mar 11, 2011)

I too think it might be caused by something else... an anomaly, although I suspect that most cases of parrot mouth are inherited and able to be passed on to the offspring. I suppose it's like any risk factor. If the doe is nice enough, it might be worth the risk that she carries genetics that cause parrot mouth. If she's real nice, and you end up line breeding with her, it might come back to haunt you... but on the other hand, she may not pass it on. You can't really say for sure without breeding her to find out. 

It would be cool if there were tests for all of this... but expensive too.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Well, she kidded with two beautiful doelings, neither of them having any bite issues. I am guessing that it is a recessive trait, and that potentially, her daughters could pass it along if they are bred to a buck with this recessive gene in his dna.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I am not real informed about birth defects and such but don't certain chemicals actually damage the DNA? So that even if there is no genetic heritage toward a certain thing, it could crop up because of exposure to something in the environment? And of course, there are gillions of potential contaminants nowadays.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I would say it is mostly genetic in Nubians. Other breeds do have bite faults, but they also can soften their nose bones having sinus infections that make the face look croocked and ruins the soft pallette. Making their mouths appear to be parrot mouth. And all goats can be born with abnormalites from enviornmental factors like poisons and weeds, effecting development at whatever stage the dam is in pregnancy.


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## prairie nights (Jan 16, 2009)

Parrot mouth being genetic does not necessarily mean that the parrot mouth doe would be consistently throwing parrot mouth kids (unless linebred) or that normal parents cannot throw that. It's concentrating the line and the gene pool's faults and strenghts that seems to make defects come to light and vice versa, crossing that line out to something else may eliminate the occurance.


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

Parrot mouth can be genetic, in particular this tends to happen when the gene pool is too close. I've seen it pop out when I have crossed certain Alpine lines that are closely related. It seems to run in my experiences anyways in certain bloodlines more so than others. Other than this I've not seen nor heard of parrot mouth occurring.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Sending you a pm Bernice...


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