Deer Improvement is a genetics company providing artificial insemination (AI) services for deer. It is a subsidiary of Livestock Improvement, the dairy industry farmer co-operative which breeds over three million dairy cows each year, and which runs the largest commercial DNA lab in New Zealand. Now this link is being used to the advantage of deer farmers.
Farmers using Deer Improvement’s AI service will qualify for DNA testing at half price. Until recently testing has cost farmers around $50 per sample, earlier this year a price of $28 was promoted, and the Deer Improvement offer now takes this down to $14.
Deer Improvement spokesman Peter Gatley points out that DNA testing, and the pedigrees it helps establish, are only useful if performance information is recorded. “Breeding Values are easily obtained once we have information on the performance of as many related animals as possible. This is why the AI service and DNA testing work so well together. We have high reliability Breeding Values on the AI stags because we progeny test them in multiple herds. Combined with the performance data from the farmer’s own herd this makes for a reliable BV for each of the replacements being bred. Then the farmer can see exactly where their herd stands relative to others in the industry, and they’ll know which hinds to breed from and which to cull.
“They may even find they can retain the best of their own stags for natural mating and this not only represents quite a saving, but avoids the disease risk associated with bringing new animals into the herd”.
For more information contact:
Peter Gatley
Director
Deer Improvement
Private Bag 3016
Hamilton
07 856 0700
027 4884 617
07 856 0110 a/h
pgatley@lic.co.nz
www.deerimprovement.co.nz
| Copyright 2010 Deer Improvement