DNA testing

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:10 pm

Can someone remind me what the purpose of the extra DNA test is in the options for testing for carriers. Does this confirm the animal is a Dexter? Or just that the stated parents are correct, in which case unless the parents have been tested surely it is worthless? What if one parent is dead and not tested, does that mean all his offspring have basically had it?

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 3:19 pm

The lab who run the tests give the accuracy of the standard test for the bulldog gene as 1 in 1000 -ie there is the risk that 1 out of evey thousand tests might be wrong. The duplex increases this by another thousandfold to one in a million. When I tested those in my herd which I wanted to test I did the cows and heifers the single test, and my senior bull duplex since he will feature in so manay pedigrees in my herd that I wanted to be really sure. The only breeding animals I did not test were those who had actually produced a bulldog - no point in wasting money on a test there. I now have only tested or offspring of tested animals in my breeding herd - still one short legged steer for the freezer next year

Duncan