Merial "Ingenity" DNA testing....

[Arkieman]

Anybody see the show on RFD the other night explaining these DNA tests? Anyone have any experience with these? I've searched Merial's site (horrible) and the internet and there's not much info out there. Supposedly if you send in a DNA sample, they can identify genetic markers for things such as tenderness. They have a scale for all the identifiable traits. They interviewed one rancher in Texas/Oklahoma and he said he can see what's on the outside of a cow, this helps him see what's on the inside.

Wonder what it costs?

 

[Farmgirl]

Arkie,

Try this.

http://www.igenity.com

 

[novatech]

Seems like most people are using Bovigen.
http://www.bovigen.com/

 

[pdfangus]

I am contemplating doing my replacement heifers and my bulls kept for bulls this spring.

I however am contemplating doing the igenity.

The cost for Igenity is around 65 dollars per animal. they want to use an ear punch tissue sample.
we are doing BVDPI and that uses ear notch so what I am planning is to do the ear punch on the replacment calves since Igenity will also do the BVDPI and the ear notch thru the state lab on the feeder calves.

Igenity price gives a complete workup.
Bovigen looks like to me you have to pick and choose what you want to test.
I also like getting actual scores from igenity rather than an ever changing star system.

 

[blacksnake]

I prefer the Bovigen system since it breaks down the markers from each test. Knowing what each one is allows a person to select a bull that will compliment those markers. I'm still not sure how relevant the results are for the marbling genes. I think they are less revelant than the other genes. There are a lot of bulls with very high IMF EPDs that do not have any of the marbling genes currently being tested and vice versa. I think there will be several more genes discovered, especially for marbling. But everything has to start somewhere.

 

[deenranch]

The cost of the DNA test is about $35. The tags are $3 and the applicator is $30. It is a great tool to market bulls with. They can also tell how good the animal is on converting feed to pounds. I am going to meet with a rep next week to start DNA testing all my cattle and my yearling bulls. Hope this answers your question.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thru Igenity, you can either use their ear punch tagger method (I got my tagger & tags free last year) or you can still use the hair follicle. Tissue collection costs $35, Hair costs $40 - you get:
CARCASS: % Choice/Quality Grade - Yield Grade - Tenderness - Ribeye Area - Fat Thickness - Hot Carcass Wt - Marbling
COAT COLOR
MULTI-Sire Parentage
For an additional $2.50 you get BVD PI tested.
For an additional $30 yo get Horned/Polled (only Purebreds of certain breeds)

I use Igenity Tissue sample testing. Mainly for the color coat (Homozygous or Heterozygous Black) so I only test double black cattle.
I like the "score" Igenity gives them - although I do not believe the carcass data is as reliable info as EPD's.
There are many "stars" being given to markers that really don't mean much. The "scoring" puts a weight on which marker is more important.

Remember - the carcass/tenderness info is just a tool.

 

[auctionboy]

Does anybody think that when you pick for the most tender muscle tissue that it eventually may cause a problem with the live cattles functions? Maybe some muscle diseases, digging around and sorting dna could unlock disease susceptibility. It also may effect longevity of cows? It seems your not supposed to breed for extremes so will there be any give and take with selecting cattle with tender genes?