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🗓️ Starting January 1, 2025, the fee for an ABGA Adult Membership will increase to $75 per year. Read more

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DNA

The American Boer Goat Association and UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) celebrate 10 years of successful partnership. Over 29,000 Boer goats have been DNA tested using STR technology. To enhance breeding programs, ABGA transitions to advanced SNP analysis, leveraging UC Davis VGL's expertise in modern genetic technologies.

Updates

As of September 1, 2021, all DNA is voluntary.

Members may begin SNP Testing January 15, 2025. ABGA will completely transition to our new SNP DNA program beginning February 1, 2025.

Read more about our transition to SNP.

All pending STR tests will need to be fulfilled by April 1, 2024. This is for those that submitted a request for DNA testing but have not sent a sample to UC Davis.

Turnaround time can vary depending on the sample volume of the laboratory, the quality of the sample submitted and if repeat testing has to be performed. Typically, from the time the laboratory receives the sample until the parentage is reported it takes around 10-14 business days. Delays can also occur if the sample volume for testing is low as samples need to be processed 24 at a time.

ABGA has allocated $100,000 for the transition from STR to SNP testing. ABGA is offering a $50 voucher to the first 2,000 members who apply. Each membership is limited to one $50 voucher, which must be used before July 1, 2025. You my choose to use your voucher at checkout. Leftover funds will be re-evaluated after July 1, 2025.

Watch our DNA FAQ with DNA Chairman Paige Gunderson, DNA Co-chair Kyle Tate, Executive Director Caleb Boardman, and ABGA staff & DNA Coordinator Jaelynn Reyes. Watch now

SNP Test
$62

Per Animal

SNP is often referred to as “snip.” This newer and more modern type of marker analysis is currently used in today’s industry and genetic market. When a sample is tested with SNPs, there are roughly 200 markers that the lab views to compare with another animal’s markers to determine parent verification. This allows differentiation between full-sibling parents during verification that STR testing could not do. 

SNP + STR Test
$96

Per Animal

Parent Qualification requires the parent to be SNP tested.
If your offspring's parents were tested prior to February 2025, you must upgrade the parents test to the updated SNP technology or request the STR & SNP combo for your requested offspring.

STR Test
$35

Per Animal

STR Testing will only be available until January 31, 2025. Beginning February 1, 2025, all DNA requests through ABGA must utilize the SNP tests.

If you would like a STR test after February 1, you will need to purchase both SNP + STR tests ($96). 

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Request DNA Testing

  • Identification
    All goats' DNA tested through ABGA must be registered, and have ABGA identification such as their name and identifying marks, tattoos, or microchip number.

  • Parent Qualification
    If you are requesting parent qualification, check Yes under the question Are you requesting Parent Qualification, and complete the Sire and/or Dam name and registration number.

  • Processing Time

    • UC Davis will email your DNA Sample Instructions to your email address within three (3) business days of ONLINE and/or mailed submission to ABGA. If you did not provide an email address, the DNA Sample Instructions will be mailed to you. 

    • If you do not receive your DNA Sample Instructions within 3 business days, CHECK YOUR JUNK EMAIL. If it is not there, contact the ABGA office at (325) 486-2242, or email dna@abga.org. 

    • UC Davis will process SNP samples once they have fulfilled the 24-sample requirement. Once the SNP Chip is run and no additional testing is needed, please allow 8-10 business days to process and submit the results report to ABGA. 

Starting February 1, 2025, STR tests will no longer be in use.

Sample Collection & Shipping

  • Hair root from coarse, longer hair often found over withers, chest, rump, tail, back of hind leg, poll, or fetlock is the preferred sample type for goats.

    01

    Clean (use comb if possible) by removing all loose hair and foreign matter.

    02

    Use fingers or pliers to grasp approximately 8-10 hairs close to the skin and pull. Pull (do NOT cut) hair strands. Examine the end of hair strands for presence of root bulbs. Hair roots are necessary for DNA testing. If the majority of hair strands lack the root bulbs, discard hair and start again.

    03

    Repeat until you have approximately 50-60 hairs with root follicles attached.

    04

    Place the 50-60 hairs with root follicles attached in a paper envelope and seal with the animal’s name, registration number, and your name written on the envelope

    05

    Repeat steps 1-4 for each additional animal being sampled.

    Note:

    • Hair should be dry.

    • If hair has excess dirt and debris, please brush out if possible before pulling hairs for sample.

    • Do not cut the hair! The roots contain the DNA for testing.

    • When sampling several animals in the same session, make sure that there are no hair strands in your hands to reduce the possibility of sample contamination. Clean hands and/or pliers if possible.

  • 01

    UC Davis accepts blood collected on blood cards or whole blood in an EDTA tube. 

    02

    If you are sending an EDTA tube, please include at least 3 mL of whole blood in and EDTA purple top, and ship overnight. Avoid shipping over weekends and holidays.

    03

    Label tubes and blood cards with the animal's name and registration number.

  • 01

    Semen straws do not need to kept frozen for shipping, but should be shipped with a cold pack and protected similar to a vaccine.

    02

    Label your straw with the animal's name and registration number.

    03

    Store the semen straw(s) in a Ziploc type baggie to prevent leaks, and ship in a box to prevent damage to your sample(s).

    04

    Place the printed bar-coded submission form inside the box with your sample(s), and ship to the address provided to you in your email from UC Davis.

Genetic Improvement

SNP testing helps identify genetic markers associated with desirable traits such as milk production, growth rate, and disease resistance. This information can be used to select and breed goats with superior genetics.

Parentage Verification

It accurately determines the parentage of goats, which is crucial for maintaining pedigree records and ensuring the integrity of breeding programs. STR cannot differentiate between twins, or flush mates, while SNP can.

Genetic Diversity

SNP testing provides insights into the genetic diversity within and between goat populations. This is important for conservation efforts and for maintaining a healthy gene pool.

Disease Resistance

By identifying genetic variations linked to disease resistance, SNP testing can help in breeding goats that are more resilient to certain diseases, reducing the need for medical interventions.

Economic Benefits

Improved genetic selection can lead to higher productivity and better-quality products (e.g. meat), which can enhance the profitability of goat farming.

Research and Development

SNP data contributes to scientific research, helping to understand the genetic basis of various traits and improving breeding strategies.

Transitioning to Advanced Genetic Analysis for Better Breeding Outcomes 

Beginning February 1, 2025, all DNA testing will move to a Single-nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analysis, commonly pronounced as “snip.” The American Boer Goat Association has been in partnership with UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) for 10 years. Since our contract began, UC Davis VGL has tested and stored data and physical samples for over 29,300 ABGA animals using Short Tandem Repeat (STR) testing.

​

To better serve our member’s breeding programs, the ABGA Board agreed to transition forward to a more comprehensive DNA analysis. SNP analysis represents a modern and advanced type of marker analysis widely utilized in today’s genetic industry and market, and UC Davis VGL has been an expert in SNP testing since the 1990s.

​

While the current STR testing is satisfactory for parentage testing, SNP testing offers many more benefits including more accurate parentage verification and opportunities for future research to determine genomic predictors of tested animals.

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Benefits of SNP Testing

DNA FAQ

    • Per rule 801: As of September1, 2021, DNA testing will be on a voluntary basis. However, DNA testing must be requested and processed through the ABGA office to be eligible for use with ABGA registration.

    • There may eventually be requirements for A.I. Sires, Walking Sires, Donor Dams, and A.I./E.T. kids, but no timeline has been established for DNA to be required at this time.

    • STR (Short Tandem Repeat) analysis are markers that have been historically used to perform parentage verification. When a sample is tested with STR analysis, are compared to those of the parents to verify.

    • SNP (Single-nucleotide Polymorphism) is often referred to as “snip.” It is a different type of marker that can also be used for parentage verification. When a sample is tested using SNPs, there are several hundred to thousands of places in the DNA that are assayed, and these are compared between offspring and parents.

    • In addition, SNP collects over 70,000 different autosomal markers.

    • Testing with SNPs provides for the opportunity to capture more information on each animal than was historically performed with STR testing. This may help to resolve cases of closely related individuals and may also help to build a database to allow further research and enable additional genetic/genomic selection tools

    • If the ABGA elects to start developing expected progeny differences (EPDs)EPD’s, combining these with SNP data will provide a more accurate prediction of the animal's genetic potential.

    • This plan was also developed to adopt technologies and build tools used throughout the livestock industry. The goal is to constantly improve Boer goat’s place in the industry and be able to provide more comprehensive and accurate information to our customers that allows them to be more confident in purchasing decisions.

    • Our goal is to serve all our ABGA members and Boer Goat breeders. We welcome any questions so that we can help and advise you on the best plan for your operation. For more information contact dna@abga.org.

    • ​In 2022, the Board of Directors committed $100,000 to aid in the transition of the DNA program. In 2025, this $100,000 will be utilized by offering a voucher of $50 per customer that can be used for any test, including upgrading from STR to SNP profiles, for the first 2000 customers. This voucher will be applied to the first invoice of each customer.  

    • Currently, when a sample is submitted for genotyping or parent verification, it will be tested for a panel of SNP markers. If the sire or dam was DNA typed with a STR profile, then they cannot be compared to an animal with a SNP profile, as these are two different types of markers (explained above). If you need parentage on an animal, it would be in your best interest to upgrade parent animals to a SNP profile, if you have not done so already.

    • In 2025, ABGA is offering a voucher of $50 per customer that can be used for any test, including upgrading from STR to SNP profiles, for the first 2000 customers.

    • Possibly. If you have already submitted a sample to UC Davis, it is likely that the sample can be upgraded from STR to SNP if there is enough remaining sample on file to do so.

    • It is possible for samples to degrade over time. If a sample is degraded or there is insufficient sample remaining to do additional testing, a new sample would be required. The labs will send a notification of this if it does become the case.

    • This seems unlikely, given the nature of SNP markers and what we know about the genome of animals.  However, technology advances and there may be other methodologies developed to generate the data. Most laboratories are selecting a core set of markers to use moving forward and likely, as technologies change, these markers will remain the same. Is there the possibility that there could be newer, more advanced, even more accurate technology in the future? Yes. But as it currently stands, SNP analysis are the markers and the methodology that is being used, and it appears it will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

    • It identifies the specific genotypes of many markers across the DNA of the goat you have tested.

    • It allows for parent verification and future verification of that goat as the parent of any kid(s).

    • It will show on your goat’s registration papers, and on online searches people do, that your goat’s identity is verified and recorded through the DNA test, preserving the integrity of our breed.

    • It will allow you to show your goat’s parentage has been verified, if you have requested parent verification.

    • Yes. UC Davis retains the right to use all samples stored at the VGL for research.

    • Research and the benefits that it can provide to producers is the main focus of the program for the ABGA.  As more members participate in the DNA testing program, this will make meaningful research a reality for our animals for the first time.

    • All DNA samples submitted through the registry are considered the registry’s samples, however, all samples are stored at UC Davis VGL, and the VGL retains the right to use any samples stored for research purposes.

    • For contract customer registries like ABGA, the registry has ultimate ownership of the sample.  

    • The animal owner ordering the test receives the results of the DNA tests requested on their goats.

    • This gives ABGA members the guarantee that should UC Davis requests to dispose of samples processed through ABGA requests, ABGA can move those samples to another facility so they are still available for research that will benefit all members.

    • Yes. It gives you the guarantee that your sample is safe, regardless of what UC Davis may decide in the future.

    • It makes it easier and cheaper for members to DNA test their goats, and verify parentage, if they wish to do that.

    • For contract customer registries, like ABGA, the owner of the goat will receive a copy of the results to be kept with the animal, and the registry receives a copy of the results to be stored in the appropriate registry herd book.

    • No. Only the owner of the DNA sample can get that information.  The member will need to contact the owner of the animal who is also the owner of the DNA to get those results.

    • The DNA test results will stay with the animal. If you purchased an animal that has DNA on file you may request the DNA report per rule 805 “A copy of the official test report will be released to the current owner of record.”

    • You can submit directly to UC Davis for your own records, but unfortunately ABGA does not accept DNA results on samples that are submitted directly to UC Davis.

    • UC Davis does not offer SNP testing directly to breeders. You may only request SNP testing through ABGA.

    • No. With current information available, there is no way to tell what percentage Boer is in a goat.

    • No. The ABGA included this service in our price for doing the DNA test. 

    • Not exactly. You select who the possible parents are and request to verify parentage. Therefore, the results will show if those selected possible parents qualify as parents or if they are excluded as parents.

    • Yes, but only if you verify parentage through ABGA, the parents are registered and have been DNA tested through ABGA.

    • The goat you are verifying parentage of must have some form of an ABGA registration or listing paper number and then all you need is the goat’s parents’ registration numbers to verify the parentage of your goat.

    • If the goat’s parents have not been DNA tested, you would need to order DNA test sample kits on the parents as well as the goat at the same time. If you verify through UC Davis, and/or your goat’s parents have not been DNA tested through ABGA, you must have the VGL Case ID number from their owner.

    • Both UC Davis and ABGA suggest that when you pull a sample to send in for testing, you pull another sample. Place it in an envelope the same way you do the sample you’re sending in and write the identifying information on the envelope.  Store it in a DRY, safe place.  The best protection of your sample is to leave it in storage at UC Davis where there are documented safeguards in place.

    • A sample by itself is worthless for research.  However, UC Davis retains research rights on all samples it houses, whether they come from individual customers or contract customer associations, like the ABGA.

    • The following language is provided to each customer from UC Davis:

      • USE OF DATA.  All Research data, including but not limited to, all notebooks, DNA typing protocols, original laboratory records, and any research reports, shall be usable by university in pursuit of its mission of teaching, research and public service.  University reserves the right, subject to individual confidentiality requirements, to publish any or all research results developed from such data.

    • Yes, $5 

    • Per Rule 802.c “Only the current owner of the animal can request DNA Testing.  Written and signed confirmation from the current owner on record or their descendants will be required for the release to test an animal not belonging to the member requesting to test said animal.”

    • Per Rule 802.c “Only the current owner of the animal can request DNA Testing. Written and signed confirmation from the current owner on record or their descendants will be required for the release to test an animal not belonging to the member requesting to test said animal.”  

    • On 1/14/2025 the board approved to add the following to rule 802.c “If an animal has previously been tested using STR technology, any current or previous owner of that animal may pay to have the DNA transitioned to SNP technology.” 

    • Turnaround time can vary depending on the sample volume of the laboratory, the quality of the sample submitted and if repeat testing has to be performed. Typically, from the time the laboratory receives the sample until the parentage is reported it takes around 10-14 business days. Delays can also occur if the sample volume for testing is low as samples need to be processed 24 at a time.

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