Page 104 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

conditions have been identified in beef cattle. Approximately and the most impact on key traits that cattle inherit from their
25% of these are caused by a single gene mutation, making parents.
them easy to manage through DNA testing. High-density (HD) chips provide greater accuracy testing
iii. Change in qualitative traits – a number of genes that 150,000 (150K) genetic markers – ideal cattle DNA testing
contribute to coat colour and horned/polled status have solution for elite seedstock, donor dams, A.I. studs and high-
been identified and have genetic tests available. impact cattle. Contains tens of thousands more markers than
iv. Genetic improvement in production traits (genomic any other commercial profiler, including gene markers from
selection) – genomic prediction of production traits involves chromosome areas actively involved in cattle variation.
identifying the relationship between the genetic markers The parameters are likely to change for each definition as
and production traits in a reference population. The genetic the science and technology improves.
component of the production traits can then be inferred using
this relationship. The genomic information is then used, in SUMMARY
addition to the traditional pedigree and performance data, to Why has NZHA moved to SNP testing in 2018? SNP testing is
increase the accuracy of the resulting BREEDPLAN EBVs. It more accurate and provides more information than the older
is important to note that the number of markers required for style microsatellite testing.
genomic prediction is much larger than what is required for
the other applications discussed in this article. Therefore, the HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT DNA TEST
SNP chips required for genomic prediction must be of higher FOR YOU
density, and thus are more expensive. The most appropriate DNA test for you and your operation will
come down to several things:
Typically, parentage verification, genetic conditions and • The animal being tested: Is this a calf you wish to Parent
qualitative trait tests can be obtained individually, or bundled Verify (PV)? A herd sire? An AI sire, or is it a cow you wish
within a genomic selection test (typically 50,000 SNP markers to flush for embryos?
or more) at a price less than the total price of the individual tests • What information do you wish to gain from conducting
performed separately. the test?
• Does the DNA test you are requesting meet the most
SNP FACTS current regulations?
While early DNA technology only evaluated an animal’s DNA
for a relatively small number of SNPs, SNP chips now routinely HOW DO GENOMICS HELP ME?
evaluate animals at many thousands of individual SNPs. SNP genotypes, along with pedigree information and performance
Low-density (LD) are DNA chips with anywhere between 10K information, are incorporated into the calculation of BREEDPLAN
and 50K (10,000 and 50,000 of individual SNPS markers). 50K EBVs. They assist in increasing the accuracy of an animal’s EBV
is an ideal tool to test an entire bull calf crop, with high-accuracy figures, by combining observed trait data, pedigree performance
performance at an affordable price. Detects gene markers that data and the genomic predictions. Genotype testing your animals
have the greatest influence on economically important traits will also benefit those related to them.

SERVICE PROVIDER:

GENESEEK AUSTRALASIA

LOCATION: GATTON, AUSTRALIA

TESTS AVAILABLE:
• GGP 50K
• GGP HD 150K
• SeekSire – Approximately 500 SNP markers for parentage only.
• Genetic testing: Hypotrichosis, Idiopathic Epilepsy, Diluter,
HornPoll

SAMPLE TYPE:
Preference is Hair or Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU)*, but can
accept semen, blood and extracted DNA (additional charge).
*At time of print GeneSeek were still investigating importing TSU
samples into Australia.

TURNAROUND TIME:
*4.5 weeks on average – 3 weeks for samples arriving at the
laboratory plus 10 days of travel.
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