CHAMPAGNE, A DOMINANT COLOR DILUTION OF HORSES

Champagne dilution of horses results in a group of pale colors which h ave mottled dusky skin and amber eyes. Body color varies from light br own to gold or cream. Eye color of champagne foals is blue, and darken s to amber with age. The mating of champagne to nonchampagne horses re sulted in 54 champagne and 40 nonchampagne foals. These results are co nsistent with a dominant gene (X(2) = 2.1, 1 df, P > 0.1). This diluti on is proposed as due to the champagne allele (Ch(C)) at the Champagne (Ch) locus. This allele dilutes black to pale brown with dark brown p oints, dilutes bay to yellow with brown points, and dilutes chestnut t o gold or yellow with yellow or pale points.