The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society in the UK will be using the latest DNA technology to profile every pedigree Aberdeen-Angus calf when being tagged at birth. The innovative technology has been developed in order to protect the integrity of its Herd Book and the iconic Aberdeen-Angus brand, a first for any breed society in the UK.
Ron McHattie, Chief Executive at Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, said: “We work relentlessly to ensure that the Aberdeen-Angus breed is at the forefront of the industry and this latest announcement cements that position. As a Society we have committed to the DNA sampling of every Aberdeen-Angus pedigree calf, revolutionising the industry and raising the bar in pedigree validation.”
The Society has developed the innovative livestock tagging technology in partnership with Caisley Eartag which has supported the Society’s quest for a robust and cost effective solution for taking and storing DNA samples from all pedigree cattle. The FlexoPlus Geno system takes the tissue sample safely when inserting a Geno tag at birth, locating, sealing and bar coding the sample tube automatically – eliminating any risk of contamination.
Robin Batchelor, Managing Director at Caisley Eartag, said: “There is no better known and globally respected cattle breed than the Aberdeen-Angus, so it is a very considerable privilege and honour for Caisley to supply the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society with the Geno tissue sampling tags to manage the integrity of its herd book.”
The announcement comes as the beef breed has refreshed its brand identity and launched a new corporate website.