DNA
SETTING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS & TIMELINES “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Abraham Lincoln
By Leoma Wells, Strategic Accounts Manager, Neogen
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
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It’s that time of the year. Summer has come and gone, the calves are weaned or about there and we’re selecting our spring sale prospects, replacement heifers and potential show strings. Well, guess what else this time of the year means? The Neogen laboratory in Lincoln, NE is entering their busiest season too. Thousands of sample submissions are arriving each day and customer expectations are running wild. The goal of this article is to provide insight and realistic perspective which will set you up for DNA testing success. When it comes to DNA testing, the earlier we can start, the more we ensure your ability to capture the full value of testing you have paid for, which is the main goal for all producers. Below we are going to outline the simple steps each breeder can follow to submit your DNA samples and receive results on time, setting yourself up for triumph instead of despair and frustration. The most critical part of submitting DNA is to set up expectations based upon facts, especially if you’re operating with a deadline looming such as a sale or show. There’s brutal honesty outlined within the steps below when it comes to expectations surrounding DNA turnaround and to be frank, adjustments will need to be made on your calendar based upon these timelines. Let’s say you absolutely need results in hand by March 6, 2020 so you can sale your animal’s in April and all AMAA submission instructions are followed, you should submit the samples for testing no later than January 7th. An even more optimal time frame would be sending in samples by December 24th, allowing some extra time, especially to account for the holiday rush and aftermath. With DNA it’s best to start early and give all areas of this wheel extra time cushion and save yourself and others unnecessary stress. Outlined below is each step translated to expected business days and turn around.
