For animal breeders coat color genetics is one of the fundamental
elements of breeding, along with health and conformation. Breeders need
to know about coat color for showing purposes and where the fibre is
used in industry, for example sheep and alpaca wool. Breeding for coat
color is complicated because many dominant and recessive traits interact
to produce the base coat color. Alleles for these occur in pairs, so
that the phenotype, or visual appearance, does not always reflect the
underlying genotype. Practical Color Genetics for Livestock Breeders
is a guide for breeders on the biology behind coat color in large
animals directing breeders on how to implement breeding strategies to
achieve desired results.