Genetic (DNA) Traceback

Every animal has a unique genetic makeup (its DNA). Genetic testing to determine an animal's unique DNA profile can be used to trace the identity of meat products back to individual animals for source verification and quality assurance.

DNA diagnostics can also be used to determine the parentage of animals to allow sire or pedigree testing and for the selection of livestock with desirable traits.

Via strategic partnership, AgInfoLink can offer our clients a number of DNA-based processes and services. These products include Gene Marker Technology, for carcass and meat quality, plus DNA services fingerprinting for parentage and traceback. An important part of these service includes DNA sample gathering and storage labels, for both meat/blood samples and for hair samples, plus services to store and analyze these samples.
 

Example 1 – Bull Selection

For cattle producers, selection of bulls is critical to introducing or modifying specific traits of progeny. It is not usually achievable to directly link performance of progeny animals and carcasses to bulls because of multiple sire mating. Not all performance characteristics of stock and carcasses can be attributed to genetics, however, genetics do play a major factor. If producers can be presented data that highlights animals as being exceptionally good or poor performers, it would be very beneficial to be able to know what bulls could be linked, thus enabling replacement bulls to be selected that mirror the bulls linked to exceptionally good progeny. Bulls linked to poor performing progeny would be culled.

To achieve the outcome of objectively based bull selection, AgInfoLink offers producers DNA sampling and storage tools to gather DNA from bulls at a property level and to gather DNA from progeny at a carcass level. AgInfoLink systems can be used to gather and store live animal data and carcass data, plus, link the DNA sample numbers for live animals and carcasses to eartag numbers carcass ticket numbers.

Using AgInfoLink's reporting tools, key performance data can be reported to show exceptional animals (good or bad) and list their DNA sample numbers. Producers can identify progeny of interest. Using the DNA sample numbers stored in the AgInfoLink system, a DNA parentage test can then be undertaken. DNA from carcasses is then linked to bulls.
 

Example 2 – Tracing Bought In Cattle

It is common for producers to buy cattle from other producers and saleyards if they cannot provide sufficient cattle numbers by their own breeding programs. A danger with this practice is the maintenance of the integrity their property and cattle hold with respect to chemical residue and disease status. Carcasses are often tested for chemical residues.

A means of keeping an accurate track of the bought in cattle, is to use the AgInfoLink DNA storage system. Using AgInfoLink's Beeflink2™ a record can be kept of the ID of the beast linked to the DNA sample. If a residue or disease violation occurs, a DNA sample can be gathered from the suspect carcass. Using the Beeflink2™ system to link to the identities of the cattle slaughtered, the DNA samples from the animals can be identified and linked to the suspect carcass sample. This will allow the producer to demonstrate irrefutably to the authorities that the suspect animal was not bred on their property and hence reduce risk.
 

Example 3 – Tracing meat in an abattoir

Carcasses are routinely tested in some countries on a statistical basis for residues. In addition to this, some importing countries also test meat products for residues. If a residue or disease is found, the abattoir is placed under immense pressure to identify where the meat came from and identify and recall the rest of the meat from that beast and its companion slaughter animals. Historically, this process is done by referring to the ticket on the box of suspect meat and by using the time of packing, estimating what carcasses might have been responsible. This can be inaccurate and does not provide a definitive answer as to which individual animal was the source.

Processors using the AgInfoLink DNA sampling systems can gather DNA from the suspect product and then request a DNA test be undertaken to identify exactly what carcass/animal was responsible.