Eye cancer and circumocular pigmentation in Bos taurus, Bos indicus and crossbred cattle

Abstract

The proportion of purebred Bos indicus, and both Bos indicus and Bos taurus crossbred cows containing Hereford blood, that were culled for eye cancer was recorded from 1964 to 1975. Circumocular pigmentation was recorded from 1970 to 1972. The incidence of the disease and the proportion of eyes with unpigmented or partially pigmented circumocular regions were significantly higher in the Bos taurus breed than in the Bos indicus based breeds. Thus a marked reduction or complete elimination of eye cancer could be achieved by crossing the Bos indicus breeds, particularly the Africander, over the Hereford to produce crosses containing one half Hereford or less.