DNA Testing for DEXTERS
DNA Testing can easily be done with a tail hair sample, blood, semen or tissue sample.
The hair must have the roots intact as the root is the container for the specimen.
I highly recommend that you pull hair samples from every Dexter you own. Keep a library of samples including each of your animals. You can label and store the sample, in a paper envelope or a sticky tape test card until you need/want to test for whatever reason.
GENOTYPING
Genotyping of the Sires of calves for registration & all male AND female calves requesting registration with the ADCA is required.... before registration is processed.
Texas A&M & UCD are both accepted for ADCA Genotyping & other test records.
Only Male genotyping (and females as of 1/1/16) are mandatory with results released to the ADCA Registrar direct from the Labs.
You must send a copy of the Lab report to release for publication your Female Genotypes, and all Color, PHA & Chondro results.
Think of a Genotype as a "fingerprint" = identity of an individual.
Once on file this result can be used with other samples to identify parentage, or identify an animal with lost tag, illegible tattoo etc.
Information regarding testing - including - application forms, pricing & instructions can be found on the ADCA website:
PARENTAGE VERIFICATION -
We've just met our goal of Genotyping our whole herd!
Parentage Verification requires 3 samples (Sire/Dam/calf) and gives the genotype of each individual (3 reports) Qualification or Exclusion of the Sire & Dam are examined and reported.
Testing is performed on the Sire, the Dam and the calf/offspring.
Parentage Verification is when all three samples are available and are compared as a unit for PV.
We've now genotyped all our herd and have samples stored as well so we can test any time the need may arise in the future.
COLOR COAT TESTING
Red
ADCA requires red animals be tested to be registered as red.
Red is the only color that breeds true so if you have 2 proven parents you don't need to test the offspring.
If you have 1 red parent & a black or dun parent your non-black calves would need to be color identified.
(Exception: if your color tested bull doesn't carry the Dun gene your calf would have to be black or red. The bull can't produce a Dun colored calf if he doesn't carry the Dun gene)
Dun
Some shades of Dun are deceiving and owners will test to be sure they've identified the color correctly.
Many owners of Herd Sires will test their bull for the Dun color,
if the bull doesn't carry a Dun gene they won't have to test the colored calves he produces regardless of the color of the cows he breeds, all of the calves would be either Red or Black if the Dun gene is missing from the results.
Both Red & Dun-same sample
A discount in pricing is offered if you test for both colors from your sample.
Link To Red/no Dun test result from TAMU:
Testing Blacks
The testing of your Black Dexters will tell you if you have a recessive Red or Dun gene present.
If you have Black cows and want to know if they carry Red or Dun coloring the test will identify Red or Dun.
CHONDRODYSPLASIA &/or PHA
This test gives Dexter breeders the ability to choose the result of their breeding choices in regard to Chondrodysplasia & PHA.
TAMU is offering testing for *PHA, *A2 Cas. Milk and Polledness now also!
* PHA is Pedigree driven... we test for PHA only when Woodmagic Wheatear IS in a pedigree. (All our AI bulls have been tested for PHA)
*Any advantage of A2 milk is still a theory at this time....please do some research....there's no scientific proof available to warrant our personal use of this test for our Dexters.
Sample Storage for future testing
Some of our critters now have 3-4 generations of Herd Parentage Verified (PV).
We store samples of each animal so we can test when/if needed I STRONGLY recommend this practice to all Dexter owners! Don't wait till you need to test to pull hair.....often it's too late to obtain a sample.
We've typed out the Texas A&M individual envelopes (format available-contact me) for each animal we own and pull hair, according to the Labs instructions. We keep the sample envelopes in a card file.
When we want to send in a test sample we don't have to wait until we "round up" the herd to pull hair.
When animals are sold we retain the right to test our filed samples as needed.
