GeneSTAR

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 4:31 pm

I am about to give GeneSTAR a go by testing primarilly my bulls for Marbling, Feed Efficiency and Tenderness (their standard package). I don't want to breed from any stock where tenderness or marbling are short on supply.

Any thoughts?

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:11 pm

I hope their testing methods are more user friendly than their web-site, my computer doesn't want anything to do with their downloads.

What do you have to send and how much does it cost?

Carol K · Post by **Carol K** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:26 pm

I just had my new bull tested and am about to get some of my cows done. A friend had about 8 of his done.
Interesting that on feed efficiency out of 8 stars my bull got 6, and all the dexters ranked very well in efficiency.
On quality and grade none of them ranked great, and on quality they ranked average.
It's an interesting test, can't say I fully understand it, expensive though, but I'm prepared to do a few more and go with it.

Carol

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:35 am

I have been quoted £40 each test. Presumably plus VAT.

Carol, what do you mean by the quality and grade rankings? Is that tenderness and marbling and which is which? Presumably quality is tenderness and grade is marbling?

Carol K · Post by **Carol K** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:40 pm

You get 3 test results Quality Grade, tenderness and feed efficiency.
It says in the test results that for quality grade that if the markers are reported that there is an increased likelihood that the carcass will grade choice or better. They are looking for 4 markers in this test.
For tenderness they are looking for three markers T1 T2 and T3 and that tenderness is reported in Lbs of shear force and represents a reduction in the shear force required to cut a steak.
Feed efficiency they are again looking for 4 markers and depending on how many markers they find they say that represents a reduction in the amount of feed needed to produce the same weight gain of an average animal, and they give some examples.
I can't say I understand the whole thing, but it is very interesting. The Dexter results should be online pretty soon.

Carol

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 11:09 pm

Thanks Carol. Would love to see the results if at all possible. I'll hopefully have mine in a few weeks time and I will be able to compare them with real eating experience.