Last week, at the Plant and Animal Genome (PAG) Conference in San Diego, CA, DNA Genotek presented a poster reflecting new research findings. PAG is an event that brings together the leading genetic scientists and researchers involved in plant and animal research and related areas. With over 25 countries represented, PAG provides an established forum for the exchange of information internationally. We used this opportunity to showcase new research findings and technical evaluations for the Performagene•LIVESTOCK product.

UPDATE: Product is no longer Performagene⋅LIVESTOCK, it is now called PERFORMAgene

When we launched Performagene•LIVESTOCK at PAG a year ago, it was a product for collection of high quality and quantity DNA from nasal samples for cattle. On the first anniversary of the product launch, we now have data showing that it provides equally high quality and quantity DNA for sheep.

The poster session was titled Enabling genome discovery in sheep: Superior DNA collection from nasal samples using Performagene•LIVESTOCK. This session, presented by DNA Genotek’s Ellen Maclean, highlighted that while genome discovery in sheep has been vastly accelerated by the introduction of the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip, a reliable DNA sample must be collected in order to facilitate this genetic analysis. To date the source for parentage and genotyping on sheep has been blood, semen or ear tissue. These samples can be costly and inconvenient for the producer to obtain and are often difficult and inefficient to process in the lab. This poster demonstrates that the reliable collection of genomic DNA from sheep nasal samples can be achieved using the Performagene™•LIVESTOCK DNA collection kit.

Here is a summary of the technical highlights from this poster session:

• Performagene•LIVESTOCK provides reliable high quantity DNA yield in sheep, with a median concentration 82.2 ng/uL and median yield of 8.2 ug
• Nasal samples taken from sheep sometimes have feed and dirt in the samples and can look yellow. The Performagene•LIVESTOCK chemistry is robust and regardless of colour or dirt in the sample, the downstream assay worked very well.
• Performagene•LIVESTOCK nasal samples that were run on the Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip resulted in call rates of 99.8% and concordance with blood of 100%.

So what does this mean? It means that producers, breed association and processing labs choosing Performagene•LIVESTOCK for non-invasive collection of DNA from nasal samples can do so with confidence, knowing nasal samples are a reliable alternative to blood, semen or ear tissue for sheep. Want to learn more? Click on the link above to see the poster in full detail or click here to go to the Performagene•LIVESTOCK product page.