Tissue sampling

In recent years, we have sent tissue samples to Invermay, N.Z. for analysis as part of our herd management. GenomNZ can provide parent matches for Sika deer. They are currently looking to expand their collection of Sika deer DNA samples with known provenance. While the standard GenomNZ breed composition report does not currently include Sika, once sufficient samples known to be pure Sika have been genotyped it may be possible to incorporate Sika deer into this report.

At the basic level, a tissue sample tells you the purity of your animal with respect to a known population.  You are able to get a pedigree report by providing tissue samples of calves, dams and sires.

Picture 1 below - two 3 YO stags may look like Sika but their ears are more like a Red; there is no noticeable caudal disc (rump patch) nor black marking on either rump patch or dorsal area; and their weight of 150kg at 3 YO all indicating that they may have a lot of Red in them. They are F1 (50% Sika and 50% Red).

Picture 2 - shows a three-quarter stag (160 Kg); a quarter stag (250 Kg) and a half-bred stag (220 Kg). The distance of the animals from the camera creates some deception in size.  Tissue analysis would confirm the breeding (roughly, the percentage of red deer) of each stag.

Picture 3 - tissue analysis will confirm that this hind is the mother of the calf.

It should be noted that it would be extremely unlikely to find any deer that is 100% of what it is purported to be. Friends of mine thought they were farming English deer. A profile report done by GenomNZ showed that the average of those animals tested was English Red - 81%; Eastern Red - 15% and Elk - 4%.