More Information on Genomic Testing
KDDC consultants are trained to provide on-farm technical services for genomic testing from taking the sample to reading the results. Contact your regional consultant for hands-on help or find more information below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What can a genomic test tell me? A Clarifide Plus test through Zoetis includes over 100 different traits and indexes related to health, productivity, type, and genetic conditions including A2/A2, polled, and negative haplotypes that may be important for mating decisions. It may also provide insight into parentage- only if the sire, dam, or maternal grand sire have been genomic tested. How do I genomic test my animals and what happens next? Genomic testing can be completed through several companies and labs. KDDC is partnered with Zoetis and offers support utilizing their services. KDDC can provide tissue sampling units (TSUs) or hair sampling cards, TSU applicators, and assistance with collecting and submitting the sample. Zoetis uses online software called Enlight to report genomic results. Enlight can be used to submit samples, view the current status of outstanding samples, and create reports utilizing genomic data. Having specific traits of importance to decision-making on your farm prior to viewing results can help when it comes time to make decisions based on genomic data. A standard genomic test can cost $30-45 per test. Zoetis is offering a rebate to those involved in testing through the SDBII Genomics Program. This program also offers additional cost share with the submission of proof of payment to KDDC. What information do I need on an animal to submit a genomic test? To submit a genomic test, you will need to provide an official ID, on farm ID, birth date, breed, sex, ET/single/twin, and parentage information. The type of official ID may vary and can include a breed registration number or 840 RFID. KDDC can provide official RFID tags to producers free of charge and assist with registering those through the KY state vet’s office, as well as submitting a form for a national premise ID number (NPIN) if necessary. An NPIN is required before using RFID tags. What if I’m unsure of the parentage of the animal I’m testing? The lab will do one of 3 things regarding parentage: confirm submitted parentage if parents have been genomic-tested, suggest a different sire/dam/maternal grand sire if they find related genomic data that does not correspond with your submission, or report an unknown parent that they are unable to genomically confirm. They will respond similarly whether they are provided with a parent or not. If the lab makes suggestions regarding parentage, it is important that you respond to them to receive your results and maintain accuracy in genomic evaluations, as data is stored by the Council for Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and communicated across several organizations. This is necessary for registered cattle and changes in parentage must be communicated to your breed association. Commercial cows can be submitted with the option for automatic parentage corrections. KDDC highly encourages evaluating on-farm practices to assist with accurate record keeping if there are frequent errors reported by Zoetis. |
