Neogen to lead top herd tests

Auchincruive- based Neogen Europe has been selected by the Scottish Government to perform genomics testing as part of a programme to improve the country’s beef herd.

The Beef Efficiency Scheme is bidding to improve overall herd profitability, and make the country’s beef herd more sustainable.

The five- year project is a partnership between Scottish Government and Scotland’s Rural College ( SRUC).

Neogen’s European GeneSeek laboratory is responsible for the project’s animal genotyping and supply of sampling kits.

“The genotyping will be performed using our new GGP- NG 50K chip and the results that we produce will be used by SRUC, which is developing predictions for improved genetic selection in respect of growth rates, feed conversion, maternal behavior, nutrition practice, and disease resistance for commercial beef farmers,” said Dr. Gary Evans, Neogen’s European business development manager.

“We won the contract through a competitive tender issued by Scottish Government, and a part of our success was due to our new European genomics facility in Ayr.”

All processes, procedures and equipment in Neogen Europe’s new laboratory are a carbon copy of its flagship GeneSeek lab in Lincoln, Nebraska — the largest animal genomics laboratory in the world.

Neogen’s European GeneSeek lab is currently processing samples from cattle, canine and poultry, with more species to follow soon, and can work with any sample type including hair, blood, semen, swabs and tissue.