2 minute read
Since You Asked
Heather Lange
director of office operations, registrations & DNA
Tips for Sending DNA Samples Directly to the Lab
Here we are, at the beginning of another year. Many people like to set New Years’ resolutions, and to those people I say, ‘more power to you!’ I like to look at the new year as a clean slate, so with that in mind, I want to share some pointers when it comes to our newest DNA process of sending samples directly to the lab.
Here are some key factors to successfully send DNA directly to the lab: 1. Animals must be registered or recorded so there is a correct International ID attached to the results. 2. The DNA submission form must accompany samples sent to the lab. If you send samples to the lab without a submission form, they are likely going to be making several phone calls to try to figure out who, what, when, where and why these animals are, and rest assured, there will be additional fees incurred if this is the case. Not to mention, they might either return those samples to you, or even put them into storage without testing. 3. Possibly the most important piece of information though, is the barcode for your samples. A unique barcode is assigned to every sample. If you have a sample type that doesn’t have a barcode – for example, a semen straw – please reach out to the office and we will assign a barcode for that sample. We are finding that while many breeders are being diligent in including this barcode, there is a huge margin for error, since these barcodes are typically 10+ characters long.
My best advice for nailing the barcodes the first time – invest in a barcode scanner! They, like most things these days, come in a vast range of lowto-high end, but as long as it scans your barcode, that is all you really need it to do! You can find them online as well as in-store. I have seen them on Amazon as well as in stores such as Staples or Office Max.
The tissue samples (called Allflex Tags in Digital Beef) have their own barcodes, which come in the form of QR codes. We have not yet purchased a QR code scanner, but I personally have downloaded a QR scanning app for my cell phone to use for these, which helps immensely, especially if you’ve customized your tissue sampling vials. When entering this type of barcode, be sure to include all letters and numbers.
If you have specific questions about sample taking, handling, or shipping, please refer to the guides on shorthorn. org – there should be an answer for just about any sample type you would use. There have been several changes implemented that start this year, which can feel overwhelming. Your ASA staff is here to help!
I hope everyone had a great holiday season; and with that, here’s to a great 2023, Shorthorn! =
