GENUS INTELLIGEN® TECHNOLOGIES DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO THE SCIENCE, PRECISION AND ACCURACY TO CREATE SEXED GENETICS

Genus IntelliGen® Technologies (IntelliGen Technologies) announces the publication of the paper, “Technical Note: Droplet digital PCR precisely and accurately quantifies sex skew in bovine semen¹,” in the Journal of Dairy Science. The paper describes IntelliGen Technologies’ proprietary methods to validate sexed semen skew and demonstrates the commitment to the rigorous science IntelliGen Technologies uses to sex bovine genetics.

“We published this paper to help our bovine genetics partners and their farmer customers better understand our process and show our commitment to precision and accuracy in the testing; which we have had in place for several years,” says Dr. Elon Roti Roti, senior author joined by Nicole Cray and Jami Hauer of IntelliGen Technologies, and Matthias Wagner of Cellino Biotech Inc.

As Dr. Roti Roti explains, the droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay measures the sex skew using a molecular assay separate from the manner in which sexed semen is produced, and therefore independently tests product quality.

“If you use the same ruler to measure the same thing twice, you’ll roughly get the same answer every time you measure,” says Dr. Roti Roti. “Whereas, if you take a different measurement tool, especially if it’s a tool with a finer resolution, then you have independent confirmation of what you are trying to quantify. We’re generating the skew with one ruler and then measuring with a completely different platform.”

The molecular assay used to complete the measurement is extremely sensitive, yet compatible with high-throughput systems which allows IntelliGen Technologies to meet the demands of a production facility in a timely manner.

“Beyond using a different technique to measure skew, the assay has such fine-tuned measurement ability that we actually count individual X and Y chromosomes,” states Dr. Roti Roti.

“This means that the farmer customers of our genetics partners experience the sex skew in resulting calves born with an accuracy that they expect and deserve,” says Jesús Martinez, Global Director of IntelliGen Technologies.

For more information on IntelliGen Technologies and how customers are enabled to achieve their unique animal genetic objectives through technology, visit www.genusintelligen.com.

A world leader in applying science to animal breeding, Genus plc created the technology platform, IntelliGen® Technologies, as part of Genus R&D. We enable customers to achieve their unique animal genetic objectives through technology. IntelliGen Technologies embraces the Genus plc vision “Pioneering Animal Genetic Improvement to Help Nourish the World” and the Genus strategies: customer centric, results driven, pioneering, people-focused and responsible.

1. Cray, N., M. Wagner, J. Hauer, and E. Roti Roti. 2020. Technical note: Droplet digital PCR precisely and accurately quantifies sex skew in bovine semen. J Dairy Sci. 103:6698-6705.