Naked foal syndrome (NFS)
Summary
Naked foal syndrome (NFS) is a fatal inherited disorder that has been found in pure and part-bred Akhal Teke horses. Foals with NFS are born without hair, and may have other physical abnormalities too. All NFS-affected horses recorded so far have died before three years of age. The cause of death is not known.
NFS is an autosomal recessive disorder. Autosomal disorders are equally likely to affect male or female horses, while "recessive" means that a horse needs to inherit the NFS mutation from both its sire and its dam to be affected.
Gene or region and technical reference
Gene: ST14 (causative). Reference: Bauer et al. (2017)
Reported alleles
n. Test developed using manufactured DNA, animal controls.
NFS. Test developed using manufactured DNA.
Panels: groups of tests that are often ordered together
This test is not in any panels.
Foals or horses with NFS are striking. This light colour on this one is because it is cremello.
