ISSUE 2017-4

Genetics news from Neogen, a leader in food and animal safety and genomic solutions

Neogen GeneSeek Operations877-443-6489 (USA/Canada) • 402-435-0665 gscustomersupport@neogen.com • genomics.neogen.com

Sheep breeders using DNA testing to improve their genetic selections can look forward to faster turnaround times for test results thanks to Neogen’s decision to establish a genomic testing laboratory in Australia.

Neogen has acquired the assets of the Animal Genetics Labora-tory (AGL), based at the campus of the University of Queensland (UQ). It’s Neogen’s fourth animal genomics laboratory, joining locations in the US, Scotland, and Brazil. The laboratory will be called GeneSeek Australasia.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation (Sheep CRC) has led the development of DNA testing within the Australian sheep industry and has worked in collaboration with Neogen’s GeneSeek laboratories since the start of the Informa-tion Nucleus program in 2007.

“Neogen has always provided competitive pricing and excellent quality control, but until now tests done in Australia had to be shipped to the US for processing,” Sheep CRC Chief Executive James Rowe said.

“While the range of DNA test products we have developed has proven to be immensely valuable to sheep breeders, the turn-around time from taking blood samples to receiving results has been the biggest single factor limiting wider uptake of genomic technologies within the Australian sheep industry.

“The announcement is a major development which will help con-solidate the use of DNA technologies and support accelerated genetic improvement in our flocks,” Rowe said.

Rowe said the new lab would result in faster and more consis-tent turnaround times. Sending samples to the US from Australia has involved variable turnaround times due to couriers, occa-sional US customs delays and some repeat analyses. Having an Australian-based lab will resolve most of these problems.

Neogen provides faster sheep DNA testing with new Australian lab

Jason Lilly, Neogen’s vice president of corporate development and director of the GeneSeek Australasia laboratory, said that as the Neogen’s business in Australia had grown, the company rec-ognized the importance of improving its presence in the local mar-ket and its service to strategic partners such as the Sheep CRC.

“Combining AGL’s complementary expertise and local support with Neogen’s animal genomic capabilities will provide Australian sheep producers with the utmost in local service, turnaround time, and technical support,” Lilly said.

The lab will feature the latest equipment and will be compatible with recent developments in the parentage and 15k multi-trait genotyping tests for the Australian sheep industry.

“This will mean that breeders will be able to plan their genotyping around the best possible combination of parentage and multi-trait genotyping testing to minimize the costs of double testing and maximize the information from multi-trait genomic predictions,” Rowe said. “GeneSeek has always provided excellent technical support in the design and development of the Sheep CRC’s DNA testing systems, and being based in Australia is likely to further enhance what has been a very productive working relationship.”

Achondroplasia Test DevelopmentWhat is achondroplasia, and how does it affect sheep?

Achondroplasia is a bone growth disorder, and it affects sheep with impaired cartilage development. It exhibits itself in new-born lambs through a “squashed” facial appearance, due to impared development of the cartilage that forms the nasal cavity. It can also involve the absence of feet, and shortened tails and ears. The disorder is commonly referred to as “stumpy lamb.”

Recently, scientists at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland worked with Cheviot sheep farmers to better understand the cause of achondroplasia. Now, the specific genetic mutation has been identified.

Neogen has since taken this information a step further, and has developed a commercial DNA test for the achondroplasia mutation. Affected, unaffected and carrier animals can now be identified.

For more information on this new DNA test, contact Neogen.

For more information on this new DNA test contact our team at: +44 (0) 1292 525 567.

EAAP 68th Annual Meeting Neogen has attended the annual meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science for the past four years. This year, we proudly sponsored the 68th annual meeting. Kicking off on Aug. 28, the three-day event in Tallinn, Estonia provided scientists to meet and discuss the latest industry developments.

Animal Genetics and Disease Conference Neogen sponsored this year’s Animal Genetics and Diseases Conference in Hinxton, Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The two-day event, starting Sept. 20, brought together leading specialists working on the interface between genomics, genetic engineering and infectious diseases with the aim of improving animal and human health and welfare.

EMBL Conference This year, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory held its Mammalian Genetics and Genomics Conference on Oct. 24, providing an international forum for sharing cutting-edge research in genetics and genomics that addresses fundamental areas of mammalian biology.

Wisdom Panel™ Health Test provides new insights into pet healthSince 2007, Neogen’s GeneSeek labs have shared numerous partner-ships with commercial providers who supply canine DNA tests to pet owners far and wide. With ten years now under the belt, the amount of information available to curious pet owners has dramatically increased based on vast improvements in technology. Now, technology platforms have a higher density of genetic markers. There have also been new discoveries from different research entities that provide insight into the health and wellness of companion animals.

Neogen is a proud partner and service provider for Wisdom Health, a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated (which also produces chocolate candies like M&M’s and Milky Way), as well as many pet food brands, such as Royal Canin, and also a network of over a thousand Banfield Pet Hospitals.

In the beginning, the testing we provided with the Wisdom Panel™ was designed to satisfy curiosity about breed make-up. Golden Retriever, Poodle, Schnauzer and more — pet owners could find out exactly what breeds made Fido the way he was.

Now, in addition to comprehensive breed analyses, pet owners can also receive health detections using just a single sample with the new Wisdom Panel Health Test. The test takes just two to three weeks and requires a single sample that can be quickly taken at home. The final report provides the following:

• Results outlining more than 140 disease-causing genetic mutations, including disease descriptions and indications of the level of severity and risk.

• Breed determination going back to the great-grandparent level, dis-played both in a family tree format and as a graph showing breed percentages.

• Information about the many personality and physical traits that pet dogs may exhibit based on their breed heritage and genetic profile.

• A profile of the pet’s predicted adult weight.

• An easy-to-print format for easy record keeping and sharing with a veterinarian.

With this information, pet owners can not only satisfy their curiosity about their pet, but to be proactive in making decisions to keep their dog healthy, safe and strong.

Career opportunities at Neogen GeneSeek OperationsNeogen continues to grow as a global leader in food safety and animal safety technologies

Data Analyst INeogen is seeking candidates for the Data Analyst 1 position. The ideal can-didate will possess a science-based degree with a general understanding of animal science and genomics. Candidates must have the ability to learn and integrate unique software programs with common laboratory protocols. The selected candidate will be responsible for quality control, report generation and customer support from an international customer base. The position is ideal for those who are detail-oriented and thrive in a fast paced environ-ment. Complete training will be provided. Educational background required is a Bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university in genetics, molecular biology, biology, bioinformatics or a related field.

Accounting ClerkNeogen is looking for an accounting clerk to be responsible for reviewing and closing orders of completed laboratory tests to generate final billings to cus-tomers, communication with customers to resolve questions regarding billings, and assisting with other accounting duties as assigned by supervisor. Requires a high school diploma with related accounting experience including experience with Microsoft Excel. Two-year accounting degree a plus.

We’d love to have you working with us. For more job postings, check out careers.neogen.com.

The 2017 Angus convention took place in early November in Forth Worth, Texas. While the event was going on, Neogen and Angus Genetics announced a new Angus GS™ genomic profiler for Angus seedstock cattle. Pictured here, the Angus GS team is all smiles.

Beef cattle association leaders from Mexico visit Neogen

In September, Neogen was pleased to invite a group of leaders from Mexican cattle associations to make the trip up north to visit our Lincoln, Nebraska-based GeneSeek laboratory. The trip was planned in conjunction with Neogen Latinoamérica.

The group included leaders from Angus, Beefmaster, Brangus, Red Brangus, Zebu and Hereford associations, as well as the National Council of Livestock Genetic Resources (CONARGEN). Also visiting were commercial beef cattle producers and representatives from Mexico’s agricultural ministry.

Our Mexican visitors had the opportunity to look at the genomic process happening behind the laboratory doors, including all the technology involved from sample processing and data analysis to results management tools.

CONARGEN and Neogen’s GeneSeek operations started a partnership in 2015 to provide genotyping solutions for parentage verification to Mexican beef breeder associations. This work has set the basis for the further use of genomic tools in national cattle improvement. Through the years, Neogen has built a complete portfolio of genomic services, allowing us to offer a variety of tools to meet our customer’s goals and expectations.

The visit was a great opportunity to share experiences and knowledge with the leaders of these cattle associations, while strengthening the partnerships we share. We want to thank all of our visitors for coming to see us and shar-ing such a nice time!

Visit NeogenNational Western Stock ShowJanuary 6–21Denver, Coloradonationalwestern.com

International Plant & Animal Genome ConferenceJanuary 13–17San Diego, Californiaintlpag.org

National Cattlemen’s Beef AssociationJanuary 31– February 2Phoenix, Arizonabeefusa.org

© Neogen Corporation, 2017. Neogen markets a complete line of food and animal safety solutions, and is a publicly-owned company listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol NEOG.

From the desk of Dr. Stewart BauckAs this edition of Genomics SNPettes goes to press, the Neogen team is returning from a very successful trip to the American Angus As-sociation Annual Conference. A highlight of the event was the launch of Angus GS – a brand new genomic tool specifically designed for use in Angus cattle.

As you might expect, a project like this rep-resents the efforts of a true collaboration. The

development of this new array is the story of two industry leaders coming together to significantly advance the science of genomics in beef cattle. It began with a discussion over a cup of coffee and in short order evolved into a major initiative, involving scientists from both organizations collabo-rating on the development of this new tool.

The American Angus Association had conducted a strategic review that led them to enhance their contribution to the Angus breed on a global basis. In addition, the association had undertaken a shift towards the new “one step” genetic evaluation. With that in place, the development of a custom array for Angus cattle afforded the opportunity to enhance prediction ac-curacy by optimizing the definition of the genomic relationship matrix.

Through a strategic commitment, the association worked with Neogen to allow this new tool to reach a price point that would enable whole herd genomic testing — something that will dramatically accelerate the devel-opment of predictions for novel traits such as female fertility.

Finally, the team leveraged the database of genotyped Angus animals to define haplotypes that might be affecting fertility, and added markers for tenderness, health and environmental adaptability.

The new array consists of the 35,000 SNP that were part of the origi-nal one-step evaluation, to which almost 15,000 SNP have been added. These additions are selected to characterize genomic regions influenc-ing novel traits, as well as incorporating markers to enhance minor al-lele frequency and spacing. This will improve prediction of the genomic relationship matrix and enhance imputation accuracy to higher density SNP numbers.

Neogen has a long history of collaborating with its partners in the devel-opment of unique genotyping and informatics solutions that enhance the use of genomic data. From the SmartDesignTM process, which optimizes SNP selection, to leveraging array design for success in conversion of SNP targets to working assays, Neogen is the world leader in animal genom-ics — through its GeneSeek Operations and its global network of affiliated labs. As part of that, we can now offer the new Angus GS to Angus breed-ers around the world, and help one of our key partners deliver on their promise of global support for the breed.

In the genomics industry, there are always obstacles to overcome, especially as new technology opens new doors. And Lilian Regina da Silva, Marketing Development Manager at Neogen subsidiary Deoxi, never shies away from a challenge.

“I like challenging activities,” said Silva, “and to work in a

business in development is really exciting.”

Silva was hired at the Araçatuba, Brazil-based location in 2012, coming to the company with undergraduate and mas-ter’s degrees in Animal Science. She started out as a techni-cal manager before transitioning to her current role, where she works primarily with university researchers, the porcine industry, beef breeders and sometimes, the dairy industry.

Silva says she’s proud to have a role that allows her to directly help customers meet their needs.

“Breeders and animal genetics companies can use genomic tools to improve their gains and so, increase their profits,” she said. “I’m happy to work at a leading company for agrigenom-ics, with all the capabilities to provide these benefits to our customers. I see Neogen working every day to have better tools to provide these benefits.”

When not striving to help her customers, Silva keeps busy working towards her MBA in Agrigenomics. She also exerts energy at the gym practicing a unique form of boxing — Muay Thai — and traveling. She also loves spending time with her family, “the most important thing that I have today!”

Featured employee: Lilian Regina da SilvaMarketing Development Manager

For the latest food safety, animal safety and life science news, Neogen announcements and useful

information, check out the Neogen blog at www.neogen.com/blogNeogen GeneSeek Operations

877-443-6489 (USA/Canada) • 402-435-0665 gscustomersupport@neogen.com • genomics.neogen.com