It’s fair time….How can I preserve my champion genetics?

by Diane Broek

Every state and national livestock show brings a unique opportunity to forever change the life of an exhibitor and the animals they exhibit.  Show season is also a busy time for Trans Ova Genetics.  

For years, savvy exhibitors have realized that they need to preserve the DNA of those animals that rise to the top….the rockstars.  This will provide them with the opportunity to clone those “once in a lifetime” animals. 

Particularly in the case of market animals, the owner of the animal can produce an intact cloned animal from a castrated male for breeding purposes.  Why?  Because cloning basically allows for a “do-over”.  

Not only can you produce a genetic twin to your rock star, but anything that occurred to the original animal after the birth event is basically a “do-over” with a clone.  What does that mean?  It means that castrated males will be born as intact males, it means that animals that acquired a disease after the birth event will be born without that disease, it means that animals that incurred injury or illness after the birth event will be born without those maladies.

DNA Preservation Steps

Do you have a rockstar?  If you know you have an exceptional animal, we suggest the following steps to preserve their DNA now, so you do have the option to clone in the future.

Tissue Sample Kit

• Trans Ova Genetics provides a very easy to use kit that allows you to take tissue samples with a tagger system.  It is available by simply calling Trans Ova Genetics at 1-800-999-3586 or 712-441-3193.  The kit is shelf stable and can be purchased proactively for only $250. 
• This will allow you to have one at the farm or one in the trailer in the event you need to use a kit on short notice.  I encourage everyone who is actively showing great ones, to carry a kit or two with them.  You never know when you will lose a great cow or bull or have a show champion.
• This kit contains everything you need to take a tissue sample including the instructions, equipment, a shipping box, re-freezable ice pack and shipping labels.  In addition, we have a very easy to follow video on our website to show you how to use the tagger system.

Express Tissue Bank (ETB) or Genetic Preservation (GP)

• There are two preservation options available to store DNA – an ETB simply freezes the tissue intact.  It is the economical option at $500.  A GP or cell line takes the tissue samples and uses them to produce a cell line for $1600.  
• Ultimately you do need the GP to move into the cloning process, so it’s best to determine if cloning will take place in the near future or at a later date before returning the tissue sample kit to our lab.

Be Proactive

• Better yet, order the tissue sampling kit and take that sample at home prior to the show when you are not pressed for time.  As more shows worry about activist situations, you will find that some shows do not allow any tissue samples or other activities once the animal arrives at the show.
  • If you did not get your sample taken prior to the show, and find yourself in the winners showring, simply call 1-800-999-3586 or 712-441-3193 and we can overnight the tissue sampling kit to you at your hotel so that you can obtain the tissue samples prior to the sale of champions.  You must take the sample prior to any sales since ownership changes at that time. 
• We recommend refrigerating the tissue samples once taken and try to ship them overnight priority UPS or FED EX the same day.  Do not ship the sample USPS.  If you are going to use the kit right away, put that ice pack in a freezer upon arrival so it is frozen and ready to go once the samples are taken.
• If the samples must be shipped on a Friday, you will need to make sure the labels are addressed for Saturday delivery.
• When you ship the sample, take a photo of the shipping label including tracking number and text it to 712-441-3193 so we know the sample has been taken and arrival is imminent, and so we can follow the shipment.

Do you have any other questions about DNA preservation on your rockstar?  Simply view our website at www.transova.com or call your customer service representative at TOG.  You can also call 1-800-999-3586 or 712-441-3193 and ask for Diane Broek for more information on all things cloning.  

Good luck to all exhibitors!

Diane Broek
Advanced Technology Sales and Production Manager

For more information on cloning, visit our livestock cloning page or past cloning blog posts.