Shelterwood: Bloodtyping Problems

I am resending this fax in hopes of getting a response on the blood typing discrepancies on 5 out of 6 of my horses. I am concerned about your standards for providing this service to TWHBEA members. Why are you using different reagents that result in some significant differences? Is this typical on blood typing because I was always taught that an offspring inherits half from each parent and can’t get anything that a parent doesn’t have. I have consulted with UC Davis and Un. of KY and they both agree these differences are significant and unacceptable. Blood type factors do not chance and testing should be consistent.
 
Original Request below was sent 6/08/2004 requesting a written response, but there was no response.

I appreciate your prompt response on the A>b vs. A>-/-, however, your quick response did not answer how so many differences with significant inconsistencies occurred that should not differ from test to test. The difference between A>a vs. A>-/- could have serious implications if my stallion has suddenly acquired an A>a. I could have bred ‘A Gold Bullette’ to another stallion that had an A>a, but didn’t because I didn’t want to risk an NI foal and now I am told she has an A>a, which would have been compatible with the stallion. Which one is right?

I have some grave concerns about the reliability of your testing and verification procedures. Since you have a contract with TWHBEA to provide parentage verification blood typing for all foals I am concerned that your testing results on the foal registrations are inaccurate based on the number of differences on 5 out of 6 of my horses. I would think that an 83.33% inconsistency rate on 6 horses would be unacceptable in the scientific community.

Darrah’s Ivory Chance – 20203861 - Old: A>b P>-/-
Current: A>-/- P>a (c)
 A Gold Bullette - 20109099 – Old: A>- D>defko Hb>BII Pgm> FS
Current: A>a D>de/dfkr Hb>1-2 Pgm> S
 
Arrows Blue Sky – 20014694 - Factors all match
 
Arrows Star of Gold – 19906927 - Old: Q>-/-
Current: Q>c
 
Darrah’s Sandy Chance – 971164 - Old: Q>b D>dghm/dfk T>V
Current: Q>-/- D>dfkr/dghmr T>

Fireball’s Mountain Maid – 8893782-Old: Q>a(b) D>de/dfr T>V Es>GS
Current: Q>-/- D>de/dk T> Es> FO

Please provide an explanation why your lab blood testing is apparently different from other labs and why your tests differ and if you are using accepted standard procedures. I have discussed this with two other labs and now feel very concerned about the accuracy of your tests. I had inaccurate results on coat color testing on four of the same horses listed above and the tests had to be redone and now these inconsistencies on blood types.
 
Thank you,
Elsie M Darrah

Original Request on June 8, 2004 by Elsie Darrah for Information:

Could you please explain to me why the blood typing results done in 2004 on my 6 horses differ from their original blood typing that was done as foals. I thought that a blood type was the same for life. Five of these horses were actually blood typed here and the older mare has had 10 of her 11 registered foals born on my farm. Are there different procedures used now. I attached copies of old and new results & a spreadsheet.

The majority of systems do match for each horse, however for the systems testing red blood cell antigens such as A, P and Q, the reagents are not consistent. Either you are using different reagents that are more sensitive or less sensitive than the original ones, or the original reagents have degraded over time. I am surprised that the Aa is not consistent from test to test. That is one of the most antigenic factors in horses and the easiest reagent to produce. The hemoglobin discrepancies are a surprise as this should be an easy system to analyze.

My phone number is 913-886-6481 and my fax number is 913-886-2713
Thank you,
Elsie M Darrah

Response from Dr. Ketchum:

Elsie 

Last Chance Farm 10267 206th Road   Nortonville, KS 66060   Phone: (913) 886-6481   Fax: (913) 886-2713 darrah5015@yahoo.com