Genetic Technologies
Genomics Project
DNA Testing
Telemon females have been a part of the +30,000 head Genomics Project in Northern Australia since 2018.
Each year, heifers reproductive tracts are scanned and compared to their weights and hip heights. Then their reproductive performance and live animal weight is recorded at pregnancy testing over the subsequent years. This information is paired with DNA samples taken at the initial scanning.
The aim of the project is to be able to give lifetime performance data on young animals in regards to their overall production (both weight and fertility) by taking a simple hair sample from calves in the future, and this will be part of Single Step with Breedplan.
The entire Telemon herd has undergone DNA typing across a range of tests including:
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1. Horn Poll Testing to identify Homozygous Polls within the herd
2. Siretrace Testing to give accurate and objective pedigree information to all buyers. We verify both dams and sires in all stud animals through DNA testing, and also use DNA to identify sires of our herd bulls from the commercial herd.
3. Pompes E7 Exclusion for peace of mind
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The independent results of all of these tests are provided to buyers upon request, helping to make the right selection when it comes to seedstock for your herd.
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Repronomics
Repronomics Cont.
Telemon also has a bull incorporated into the Repronomics Project being conducted on research stations throughout North Australia. This project will also contribute to the Single Step tool provided by Breedplan in the future.
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The aim of the project is to use DNA to increase accuracy of selection of young animals, especially retained bulls, based on a wide amount of physical data that can indicate how well that animal's progeny will perform in the future.
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The project collects DNA from 3 tropically adapted breeds, and correlates this with data in key traits such as:
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1) Fertility (Age of puberty, anoestrus interval, pregnancy status, post-partum interval, teat/udder scoring.)
2) Performance of Females (weights, body condition scores, subcutaneous fat cover, eye muscle area, hip height).
3) Temperament Traits (Temperament scoring and Maternal Ability)
4) Progeny Performance (Birthweights, Calving Ease, Survival Rates, Gestation Length, Weaning Weights, Flight Scores)
5) Steer Performance (Post-weaning weights, carcass traits, meat quality assessments).
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The completion of this project will hopefully enable a tail hair sample to give accurate data across all of these traits to indicate how well an animal will perform in it's lifetime.
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