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Holstein Association USA Genomic Testing Options & Pricing
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Holstein Association USA offers a wide array of genetic testing options to meet your needs. Order your genomic or genetic testing kits today by calling Customer Service at 800.952.5200, or email [email protected].

 

        

        

Genomic Testing Options
Updated December 5, 2022
       
U.S. Customers Regular Holstein COMPLETE ® Enlight ® COMPLETE + Enlight ®
CLARIFIDE® Medium-Density SNP Test $47 $44.65 $37 $37
CLARIFIDE® Plus Medium-Density SNP Test + Dairy Wellness Traits & Polled* n/a n/a $43 $43
Wellness Trait Upgrade for Previously CLARIFIDE®-Tested Animals n/a n/a $14 $14

*CLARIFIDE ® Plus products which include Dairy Wellness Traits may only be ordered through Enlight ®. Click here to learn more about the CLARIFIDE ®. Plus products.
CLARIFIDE ®. is a registered trademark of Zoetis LLC.
 

New Recommendation for Mailing DNA Samples for Genomic Testing:

Holstein USA staff has been hearing a growing number of complaints of delayed and lost DNA samples that have been mailed by USPS. Because of this, it is recommended that Fedex or UPS is used for all sample shipments, regardless of size. We also suggest shipping in a way that provides a tracking number. This should help ensure your samples arrive to the lab in a timely fashion, and can be tracked all the way from your doorstep until they arrive in the laboratory.

When mailing your DNA samples to Zoetis for genomic testing, please ensure you are using the updated address below:

Zoetis Genetics
Attn: Genetic Lab
333 Portage St
Kalamazoo, MI 49007


International Customers Price      
Geneseek ® Genomic Profiler Bovine 100K $80*      
*Plus Foreign Basic ID fee of $20 or registration fee
GeneSeek ® is a registered trademark of Neogen Corporation.

The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) may assess additional evaluation fees on top of the cost of the genomic test, dependent on the amount and type of data a dairy producer is contributing to the U.S. national genetic evaluation system. These CDCB fees are in addition to the base cost of ordering a genomic
test for an animal and billed at the time the genomic test is ordered. Click here to learn more about Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding fees.

Additional Genetic Testing

Official Genetic Conditions Ordered with
Genomic Test
(Enlight®*)
Ordered Separate
from a Genomic Test
Brachyspina $22 n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
BLAD (Bovine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency) Included n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
Cholesterol Deficiency Included n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
Coat Color (Recessive Red & Dominant Red) Included $37
CVM (Complex Vertebral Malformation) $33 $45
DUMPS (Deficiency of Uridine Monophosphate Synthase) Included n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
Mulefoot Haplotype Provided n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
Polled/Horned $36.75 or Included with
CLARIFIDE Plus
n/a — See Dairy
Breeding Stock Panel
Milk Proteins Ordered with
Genomic Test
(Enlight®*)
Ordered Separate
from a Genomic Test
Beta Casein A2 Included n/a — See Milk Protein Bundle
Beta Lactoglobulin Included n/a — See Milk Protein Bundle
Kappa Casein Included n/a — See Milk Protein Bundle
Bundled Genetic Condition Testing Ordered with
Genomic Test
Ordered Separate
from a Genomic Test
Igenity® Milk Proteins Bundle (A2 beta casein, beta casein AB, kappa casein, and beta-lactoglobulin) n/a $25
Igenity Dairy Breeding Stock Panel (milk proteins, horned/polled, and Haplotypes Impacting Fertility - HH1, HH3, HH4, HH5.) n/a $50
Igenity Dairy Recessive Panel (brachyspina, BLAD, DUMPS, citrullinemia, cholesterol deficiency and mulefoot) n/a $55
Other Testing Ordered with
Genomic Test
(Enlight®*)
Ordered Separate
from a Genomic Test
Citrullinemia Included n/a — See Dairy
Recessive Panel
Freemartin Testing (requires blood sample) Call for details Call for details

*Prices may vary depending on program enrollment and genetic testing lab used.

For more information about genetic conditions click here.

Parentage Testing Services

Holstein USA offers parentage verification services for the many needs that may arise on a dairy farm, including bulls, dams of bulls, donor dams, embryo transfer calves and parentage determination when ID questions arise. To learn more about your options and decide which test is right for your situation, contact the Quality Assurance department.

SNP Parentage Verification $48      
Microsatellite Parentage Testing $48.50      
Learn more in this Holstein Pulse article, "Demystifying Parentage Verification Requirements"
 

Other Services

Embryo Export Certificates, with related genotypes $30    
Special Export Documents including Recessive Statements $20    
Genetic Conditions in the Holstein Breed
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Holstein Association USA recognizes the importance of identifying heritable, sometimes undesirable, unique genes in Holstein cattle, to provide breeders with the tools they need to make informed breeding decisions. Use the free tools below to learn more about genetic testing and research animals to see if they have been tested as carriers or non-carriers for various traits, or may potentially be a carrier based on their pedigree. For more information, call Holstein Association USA customer service at 800.952.5200.

Haplotypes Impacting Fertility
 

Dairy researchers have discovered six haplotypes impacting fertility; referred to as HH1, HH2, HH3, HH4, HH5 and HH6, these haplotypes are believed to cause embryonic or fetal death when present in homozygous form, i.e., the offspring inherits the haplotype from both the sire and dam. In a herd, this would appear as if a cow did not conceive, resulting in greater days open and lower conception rates. Researchers have found that these haplotypes never occur in homozygous form amongst any living animal (that had their genome tested; the group researchers studied). That scenario is highly unlikely based on population probabilities, unless affected animals did not survive to birth.

Holstein Association USA encourages breeders to pay attention to pedigrees, work to learn the status of their animals, be mindful of the status of service sires in their herd, and avoid mating carriers of individual haplotypes to carriers of the same haplotype. It is possible for fertility rates to be improved by carefully selecting matings to avoid the chance of potential offspring inheriting the lethal version of a haplotype impacting fertility. Discovery and labelling of these haplotypes is a benefit of genomic testing, and gives breeders the opportunity to improve the genetic quality of the breed through careful mating.

Haplotype Impacting Fertility 6 (HH6) — Newly Reported in December 2018

A new Haplotype Impacting Fertility (HH6) was discovered by French researchers, and first reported on at the 2018 International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) meeting. The current frequency of HH6 in U.S. data is 0.5 percent, according to CDCB data. French researchers traced HH6 back to BIS-MAY S-E-L MOUNTAIN-ET (USA M 2070579), and USDA-AGIL researchers traced HH6 back further to his maternal grandsire CAL-CLARK BOARD CHAIRMAN (USA M 1723741), then four generations further back to GRAY VIEW SKYLINER (USA M 1244845), born in 1954. The fertility effects of HH6 were confirmed using CDCB data from 371 carrier sire x carrier maternal grandsire matings, with a larger than expected 9% +/- 2% drop in conception rate.

HH6 will be reported out with the other haplotypes starting in December 2018, and results will be available for all genomic tested animals at that time. Holstein breeders may find the status of their animals using the Family Tree Search on the HAUSA web site, or Enlight® users may also find the information there. Read more about HH6 on the CDCB web site.

Use the Family Tree Search to view haplotype status of individual animals.

Early Onset Muscle Weakness
 

In December 2023 the haplotype for Early Onset Muscle Weakness Syndrome (HMW) will be included with genomic evaluations.

This condition is characterized by an inability of a calf to stand or if assisted, remain standing.

The haplotype codes of 0 to 4 are being used to denote an animal’s status on Holstein Association USA’s reports, as noted below.

Codes for haplotype associated with Muscle Weakness

Haplotype Code Description
0 Non-carrier: free of MW
1 HMW Carrier: haplotype confirmed with pedigree information
2 Homozygous for HMW: confirmed on both sides of pedigree
3 Suspect carrier: haplotype origin could not be confirmed from pedigree
4 Suspect homozygous: probable carrier and may be homozygous; origin of haplotypes could not be confirmed from pedigree

Cholesterol Deficiency
 

German researchers discovered and reported on a deleterious haplotype in Holsteins, causing young calves to die if homozygous, at the July 2015 Interbull meeting. Researchers concluded that heterozygous animals have reduced cholesterol, but homozygotes have no cholesterol and survive only a few months.

The haplotype carrying the defect is difficult to track because both the normal version and the defected version occur frequently. The two haplotype versions look identical when examining only the surrounding marker genotypes. Pedigree information, in combination of having knowledge of the haplotype status of earlier ancestors, allows for an accurate determination.

Codes of 0 to 4 are being used to denote an animal’s haplotype status.

Haplotype Code Description
0 Non-carrier: free of HCD
1 Carrier: haplotype confirmed with pedigree information
2 Homozygous: confirmed on both sides of pedigree
3 Suspect carrier: haplotype origin could not be confirmed from pedigree
4 Suspect homozygous: probable carrier and may be homozygous; origin of haplotypes could not be confirmed from pedigree

A direct gene test for Cholesterol Deficiency is also available; please call Holstein Association USA for more information. Animals who have been tested with the direct gene test will have a two-character code indicating their results; TC means the animal has been tested free of Cholesterol Deficiency using the direct gene test, and CD means the animals has been tested with the direct gene test and confirmed to be a carrier. Holstein Association USA recommends that any breeding stock animals who have been tested as a carrier for the haplotype be tested with the direct gene test to confirm their status.

Brachyspina
 

The Holstein Association USA board of directors voted at their March 2011 meeting to label Brachyspina as an undesirable recessive trait in the Holstein breed.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Brachyspina (pdf)



Using the Free Family Tree Search to Research Lineage
  Use the Family Tree Search to find information about animals and their ancestors. For each animal in the family tree, among other information, it will show any genetic codes as well as any available haplotypes that have been recorded. Official genetic codes are also available on Official Holstein PedigreesTM and in the Holstein Association USA Sire Summaries. Click below to be taken to the Family Tree Database© Search page. Alternatively, clicking on any animal's registration number from the Animal Search results page will pull up their family tree.

Use this tool to:
  • Identify bulls or cows recorded as carriers/non-carriers for genetic conditions and haplotypes
  • Find individuals that have not been tested but may be carriers for a gene.
  • Research ancestry on your animals to be sure you are aware of any possible concerns for genetic recessives that may be transmitted before making breeding decisions.
  • Identify animals in your herd that you may want to genetic test, based on their lineage and haplotype status.

Click here to go to the Family Tree Search
 
      Click here to view an example of tracing recessive traits in a family tree


What do all of the codes mean?
  Use the key below to translate the meaning of the various genetic testing codes.

GENETIC CODES
BD Bulldog*   TD Tested free of DUMPS
BL Bovine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency (BLAD)*    MF   Mulefoot*
TL Tested free of BLAD   TM Tested free of Mulefoot
BY Brachyspina*   PO Observed Polled**
TY Tested free of Brachyspina   PC Tested Heterozygous Polled**
CD Cholesterol Deficiency*   PP Tested Homozygous Polled**
TC Tested free of Cholesterol Deficiency   TP Tested free of the Polled Condition (horned)
MW Muscle Weakness*   RC Carrier for red hair color*
MW2 Tested Homozygous for Muscle Weakness   B/R Black/Red hair color*
TE Tested Free of Muscle Weakness   TR Tested free to red hair color
CV Complex Vertebral Malformation (CVM)*   DR1 Tested Heterozygous for Dominant Red*
TV Tested free of CVM   DR2 Tested Homozygous for Dominant Red**
DP Deficiency of Uridine Monophosphate Synthase (DUMPS)*      

*Recessive gene carrier          **Dominant gene carrier

How are these conditions inherited?

Recessive genes are expressed only when a carrier cow is mated to a carrier bull. In a random mating population, when two carriers are mated, 50% of the resulting offspring will be carriers of the recessive alleles (heterozygous), 25% will express the recessive trait (homozygous recessive alleles), and 25% will not carry the recessive alleles (homozygous dominant alleles). When a non-carrier is mated to a carrier, it can be expected that 50% of the resulting calves will be carriers (heterozygous) and 50% will be non-carriers (homozygous for the dominant alleles).

EXAMPLE: Two RC animals, carriers for red hair color are mated. (Rr x Rr)


25% Black and White, non-RC (RR)
50% Black and White, Red Carrier (Rr)
25% Red and White

Dominant genes are expressed anytime an allele is present, whether it is heterozygous or homozygous. For example, if you have a cow that is heterozygous Polled (tested-PC), and she is mated to a non-polled bull, it can be expected that 50% of the resulting calves will be polled (heterozygous carriers) and 50% will not be polled (and homozygous for the non-polled alleles). If you have a cow that is homozygous Polled (PP), mated to a non-polled bull, all of the calves will be polled, heterozygous carriers.

EXAMPLE: A heterozygous polled bull (Hh) is mated to a non-polled cow(hh)


50% heterozygous polled (no horns, Hh)
50% horned (hh)

Reference Information
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Genomic Testing 101

Genomic Testing Release Schedule

  • When you genomic test your animals through Holstein Association USA, you will receive two sets of results back for each animal.
  • Preliminary (Weekly) Genomic Evaluations are delivered three to four weeks after a sample is sent to the laboratory. These predictions are not to be used for merchandising purposes. New preliminary genomic evaluations are distributed every Tuesday morning via e-mail spreadsheets and in Enlight®.
  • Interim Monthly Genomic Evaluations are delivered on a schedule established by the laboratories and the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB). uscdcb.com/genetic-evaluation-schedule/2024/. Individual Monthly Genomic Predictions are available at www.holsteinusa.com, and on Enlight® (www.enlightdairy.com). Reports are also distributed to customers via email or postal mail.
  • Official Genetic Evaluations are published three times per year, in April, August and December. Official genetic evaluations are published on pedigrees and other Holstein Association USA performance products.

Learn More about the Science of Genetics & Genomics

Utilizing Genomics on the Farm - Breeder Profiles

TSUTissue Sample Units (TSUs)

Tissue sampling units (TSUs) are a method of submitting DNA for genetic testing. Many dairymen find it a more convenient sample to collect than taking a hair or blood sample, and it typically has more reliable sample quality than hair. We offer several TSU options to meet your dairy’s needs.

Order your TSUs today!
Call 800.952.5200, or email [email protected]

  Box of 10 TSUs $28.70
  Box of 100 TSUs $275
  TSU Applicator $99

TSU + Official Holstein Tag Combos
Customers testing most of the heifers born on their farm may be interested in our TSU + Official Holstein Tag combs, which provide a TSU in a nested pair with your choice of several official Holstein ear tags.

840 Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU) + Tag Combos
Pricing effective February 17, 2023
1-49 50-99 100-499 500-1999 2000+
Mini Round + TSU $3.85 $3.78 $3.72 $3.67 $3.62
Mini Round & Maxi + TSU $5.79 $5.58 $5.40 $5.25 $5.10
RFID + TSU $5.67 $5.56 $5.46 $5.34 $5.20
RFID & Maxi + TSU $7.61 $7.36 $7.14 $6.92 $6.68
RFID & Large + TSU $7.38 $7.15 $6.94 $6.73 $6.51
Maxi + TSU $4.81 $4.67 $4.55 $4.45 $4.35
Maxi & Maxi + TSU $6.75 $6.47 $6.23 $6.03 $5.83
RFID & 2 Maxi + TSU $9.55 $9.16 $8.82 $8.50 $8.16
RFID & 2 Large + TSU $9.09 $8.74 $8.42 $8.12 $7.82
The Tag/TSU combo option is printed with your Herd Management Number (HMID) on the TSU tube and the HMID as the visible identification number on your tag

Streamline your animal identification and genomic testing with TSUs and Enlight®!
Producers using TSUs and Enlight to identify their calves and ordering genomic testing materials can streamline their sample submission process and skip the genomic test paperwork by providing TSU numbers at the time of ID and test ordering. Contact Holstein Association USA’s EASY Support Line (ext. 4205) for more information on that convenient option.

Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) Fee Schedule for Genomic Evaluations
Updated as of April 3, 2019

The following fees are required by the CDCB and apply to all animals being submitted for genomic testing. These fees are in addition to the base cost of ordering a genomic test for an animal. The fee schedule encourages contributors to not only maintain but grow the amount of information and kinds of data they are contributing to the system to improve genomic estimates in the future. The CDCB board approved the fees in the following fee structure, and they are applicable for animals nominated on or after April 3, 2019.

After each official genetic evaluation (in April, August and December), herds will qualify at a certain fee level, based on the herd's previous contribution to the cooperator database. Herds qualify for credits by supplying valuable and quality data into the cooperator database; less credits are given to herds supplying limited data to the cooperator database. The rate code assignments will take effect on the release date of the official genetic evaluation.

All required Female Fees and Initial Male Fees will be collected by the nominator (Holstein Association USA, in this case). AI Service Fees will be collected by NAAB. All fees collected will be forwarded to CDCB. The Female Fee and Initial Male Fee will be charged only on the first genotype submitted for that animal. There will be no refund of fees, even if the genomic test results do not work to the submitter's satisfaction, or a male is not placed into service.

Female nomination fees

Male nomination fees

Artificial insemination service fees

Please visit the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding web site to view the complete document, which includes detail about each of the available credits.

Manage Your Herd’s Genetics with Enlight®

Enlight® is an online, comprehensive management tool designed to help Holstein breeders more efficiently manage herd genetics. The latest updates to Enlight take the results that you get from CLARIFIDE® and CLARIFIDE Plus and presents them clearer than ever before. New enhancements include:

  • Dedicated mobile app available for both Apple and Android platforms
  • Improved streamlined ordering process
  • Ability to track samples from the time of order through results delivery.
  • Enhanced custom reporting to more easily put your genomic results to work.

Through Enlight, dairy producers have unprecedented access to powerful reporting and analytics, including:

  • Access to whole-herd and individual animal genomic reports
  • Interpret interactive graphs to quickly determine results and drill down for more detailed views
  • Access a comprehensive list of production, health and type traits, and associated indexes — including TPI®, NM$ and DWP$®— available through Holstein Association USA, USDA-CDCB dairy genetic evaluations and Zoetis
  • Convenient how-to videos help producers quickly put their data to work.

This exciting and valuable resource is a result of collaboration between Holstein Association USA, Inc. and Zoetis, bringing together the strengths of both organizations to create a powerful resource to benefit all Holstein dairy producers. Enroll today at www.enlightdairy.com.

Enroll today!
800.952.5200

www.enlightdairy.com