sorry I have one more thing to say on the subject ( for today)
 
in response to
>From:    Melissa Rotert <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Selective Breeding
 <snip>
>There is NO way to breed deafness out of a population, so we cannot
>possibly breed it INTO one either.
 <unsnip>
 
mmm..  that is like saying there is no way to breed out viciousness and
the fear of humans from a wild European steppe ferret, (and or, whomever
the original progenitors of the domestic ferrets are)..  however, our
friendly ferts are domesticated , and domesticated so much that they
can't survive in the wild... ?  due to us breeding "into" their
bloodlines things like domesticity, lack of fear, limited instincts etc
 
AND, It is "easy" to bred OUT undesirable traits, you simply do not breed
those with the trait that is undesired (and don't breed those who may
have recessive genes for that particular trait)
 
For example, "If" breeding a chocolate (or cinnamon) with a dark eyed
white, or ( and I am unfamiliar with the cross breeding required here)
but.... if breeding those two is required to get a "panda", then those
two may have recessive genes for deafness, and by if bred by themselves
within there own genetic makeup..  well no problems..  but bred together,
those recessive genes will combine and a certain percentage of the kin
will be deaf, so it is indeed possible to breed for deafness, if the
recessive genes are there.
 
In which case , it should be realized that breeding X type colored ferret
with Y type color, will result in deafness..
 
And the result will be that you will then have a Dominant gene for
deafness, and then any "pandas" (or resultant colors), if mated with
other pandas, or dark eyed whites or chocolates.( with the recessive
gene).  will then almost always result in could result in deafness....
 
SO.  you then should try to breed OUT the gene in those two colors, so
that it is no longer within their genetic makeup.  OR, if at worse, the
ONLY way to have a Dark eye white, is to have that recessive gene ( i.e.:
genetically the color is a result of a certain gene structure that
includes the recessive gene for deafness)..  well, then, simply do not
breed dark eyed whites, "with anything", until there are no more dark
eyed whites, (only an example as I am unfamiliar with what colors, types
etc, carry this recessive gene) ... BUT the end result may be that, the
color spectrum of ferrets may fallback to simply albinos and sables, BUT,
we will no longer have deaf ferrets..
 
so yes, there is a way to breed OUT deafness (or any other undesirable
trait) in ferrets.
 
If undesirable, simply do not breed.
 
Darrin
 
PS: I am unfamiliar with the particular genetic makeup of the many
ferrets colors and the issues related to them.  I simply wanted to point
out that if it is "genetic" it can be fixed, simply by not passing on
those genes, or making them worse by unregulated inbreeding for the sake
of "color" or other commercial traits, with no concern for pre-existing
"already bred for" genetic advantages.
[Posted in FML issue 4668]