The World's source for Bovine Genetics
SELECTIONS - Spring 2007

Comprehensive IGENITY Profile Now Includes Fertility, BVD-PI

Side BarMerial recently announced the IGENITY® profile will be updated to include a DNA analysis for fertility. In addition, markers have been added to the longevity and production analyses — making them more powerful and increasing the amount of genetic variation accounted for in the profile. "As research in DNA profiling advances, it’s no longer a question of whether the technology works. Now it’s about the number of traits that can be accurately identified and the amount of information we can gain from DNA," said Chuck Sattler, vice president and manager of genetic programs for Select Sires.

Research from Merial and Select Sires demonstrates that the multiple-marker fertility analysis accounts for 3.6 Daughter Pregnancy Rate (DPR) points of potential difference in females, and 1.8 DPR points of potential difference in bulls.

"We understand that identifying genetic differences in health and fertility in females is a challenge," Sattler said. "It’s exciting that the IGENITY profile now provides a unique opportunity to gain genetic information on cows for these difficult-to-measure traits."

Sattler added that the upgrade of the profile in the areas of production and longevity is equally as exciting. Now the IGENITY profile provides more information than ever before about the genetic potential for production traits, and is more powerful in showing Productive Life differences in cows. A diagnostic test for persistent infection of the BVD virus is now available as an added option to the IGENITY profile. This allows producers to routinely screen calves for the costly disease. Now, from a single tissue sample, producers can learn more about the genetic potential of their calves and determine if they are persistently infected (PI) with BVD.

If a producer has profiled an animal after March 1, 2007, the expanded IGENITY profile — including fertility — will be automatically provided at no charge. For more information about the IGENITY profile, contact your Select Sires representative.

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®IGENITY is a registered trademark of Merial, Duluth, Ga

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Select Sires Inc., 11740 U.S. 42 North, Plain City, Ohio 43064 / Phone: (614) 873-4683 Fax: (614) 873-5751