Potential genetic defect in Shorthorn cattle

[kfacres]

sounds like scurs to me.. were the 'actually' attached?

 

[linnettejane]

sounds like scurs to me.. were the 'actually' attached?

yes, they were attached, verified by vet who specializes in cattle

 

[jason]

I just saw a commercial that says if you have a calf with a birth defect, and the cow took ZOLOFT, you may be entitled to a cash settlement.

sorry I didn't catch the phone #.

On that note, if you need your cash settlement now, you can call JG Wentworth.

 

[colosteers]

To whom it may concern / FWIW

I guess that if some Postmasters know that you are sending Dr. Beever meat and ear notch samples in the mail, the Postmaster will make somebody go and get dry ice and ship with it.

If I can ask Knabe or somebody with some science education a question?    What happens when you put dry ice in a zip lock bag and send it in the mail for approximately a 3 day shipping?  I dont have much science knoledge--  but isnt dry ice a frozen gas --  that will expand,,,, with meat and ear notches?????

Somebody came back home and told me what he did and I just got to thinking????

any how --  have a good one

 

[DL]

To whom it may concern / FWIW

I guess that if some Postmasters know that you are sending Dr. Beever meat and ear notch samples in the mail, the Postmaster will make somebody go and get dry ice and ship with it.

If I can ask Knabe or somebody with some science education a question?    What happens when you put dry ice in a zip lock bag and send it in the mail for approximately a 3 day shipping?   I dont have much science knoledge--  but isnt dry ice a frozen gas --   that will expand,,,, with meat and ear notches?????

Somebody came back home and told me what he did and I just got to thinking????

any how --  have a good one

Cold pack and UPS works great -

dry ice - OMG not cool - whenever I have seen dry ice in a shipper it has been loose in a styrofoam container -----

 

[knabe]

Hmm. I don't recall a postmaster coordinating dry ice.  Maybe some do.

Things are usually sealed from the dry ice and sealing is usually done really good but not air tight.

Cool shippers usually don't last longer than priority shipping.

Personally if I had a way to shrink wrap something and then dry ice loose I wouldn't have a problem.  There are containers that don't leak much rather than just a regular styro shipper.  The seals are a little tighter.

I would,just ask who you are shipping to what they prefer.  Dl's advice is good, she's done it, i haven't.  I've shipped lots of blood, nucleic acids other stuff with dry ice, cool packs and nano cools as well as the new green shippers.

 

[nate53]

Hmm. I don't recall a postmaster coordinating dry ice.  Maybe some do.

Now that would be postal service!
We get frozen vaccines (that mix with water) in stryro shippers and they are packed with dry ice around the vaccine (but this is with the intention to not let the vaccine thaw at all, so probably overkill for an ear).

 

[KSUwildcat2009]

If you are going to ship an ear, freeze the ear, then pack it good with cold packs.  As long as you ship it and it's going to get wherever within about 3 days it should be good, especially this time of year. 

Shipping tissues on dry ice is definitely recommended if said tissue is going to be used for any experiments involving RNA since degradation of RNA happens A LOT faster.

I've never heard of the postal service arranging for dry ice either.  Every time I've seen dry ice its been loose in a package.  We did once get sealed bags with the dry ice in them.  We tried to save them in the -80 freezer but within a day or so they were just puffed up bags. 

 

[colosteers]

May be I should clarify some info---  he went to buy an envelope from the post  master and when she seen what he was going to ship, she wouldnt ship it until he went down to a grocery store and got dry ice.  Then apperently he put it in a zip lock bag--  which I am afraid will build pressure and blow the bag, when it warms up.

I think to make a long story-short---  show up at the post office with a sealed package and dont let the post office know what you are shipping.  Or go in and buy the envelope and go back out side and put the samples in and go back in and mail it.

Isnt dry ice a frozen gas that seriously expands when it melts?

any how- have a good one

 

[Okotoks]

Lets throw this out there for the shorthorn leaders of the industry who have not a clue how the beef industry of the USA works. For someone who propagates a line of shorthorn cattle(with artificial nutrition and steroids). Who has  baby calves on a full feed rumen destroying feed regiment.......who has no common sense about the virtue of fertility levels of the the show heifers they destroy on a annual basis......are going to be concerned about a 15$ test? Its all about a coverup. It's all about about the newcomer who with their dominence of the breed has killed 4,000 registrations from last year. I stand corrected.

Are you sure the ASA registrations are down 4000? The CSA registrations were up 15% in 2011. That's not a lot in total numbers but it is heading in the right direction.  (thumbsup)

 

[Barrel Racer]

Hello all, I hope that everyone had a great Holiday season!  We are all doing well here in Illinois, although it is unusually warm and I'm really wishing it would freeze I'm tired of the horses slopping around in mud.  With that said....

Just wanted to remind everyone of a few things.... First,  please, please, please stick a note in your sample so I know what it is.  I've gotten probably 3 boxes in the last few days with just a blood tube and no note.  I have no idea what it is.  Dr B is in an out especially during winter break, so unless he's in and I can ask him and he remembers (he does get about 250 e-mails a day), I can't really do much with a blood tube without any information.  Sometimes they come from a 3rd party shipper too, so I don't even have any owner information.  Right now I've got about 5 or 6 different projects in which I've got samples coming in.  

Second, if your calf is dead and you are sending tissue, DL is correct about the size.  I usually use about a chunk the size of a pencil eraser for DNA isolation and if the tissue sample is is good shape that usually gives me enough DNA to do what I need.  As was mentioned earlier, I don't need the whole calf.  I don't have the storage space for entire animals so just an ear or tissue chunk is fine.   I did get an entire lamb once, that was nice opening in front of the UPS guy lol! They typically want you to wait until they leave to open boxes now...As KSU said, just freeze it beforehand, put some ice packs in a styro cooler and ship it 2-3 day.

Lastly, I know I'm preaching to the choir here, you guys are really good about your purple tube tops  ;D, but I have gotten quite a few red topped tubes lately.  Not much I can do with them.  Sometimes I can get "some" DNA out, but there's no way to get enough high quality DNA to run on the chip.  Best way to ship semen is to use a ball point pen and take out the inside slide in the straw and seal it back up.  You do not need to ship it in a semen tank, I'm just going to kill the sperm anyway lol! Use a padded envelope or put into a box, if you just stick in a regular envelope sometimes the rollers that sort mail will tear the envelope and I'll get just an empty envelope with the "we're sorry" tape.  In fact, there's probably quite a few straws of semen floating around mail machines, makes you want to wash your hands after opening your mail huh lol!

Colosteers-I got the heads up from DL, so I'll be on the lookout for your package.  Dry ice does expand quite a bit (at least in my experience), but I'll know what's going on and open accordingly.  And you are correct I typically don't tell them what's in the box lol!  

 

[DL]

DL, What is the protocol for dealing with possible genetic defects in the shorthorn breed? Are there any forms for submission of the information? Any directions for submitting the DNA? And then who does it get sent to? These things would make it easier to submit the information if it is not available.

Thanks for the time and effort that you have put into this situation.

eskimo - to submit samples for a gene hunt you would do the following

- affected calf - if dead, take a chunk of ear (1 x 1 inch is enough) stick it in a baggy, label it with a sharpie (calf number, sire & dam, farm name) - put in refrigerator (or if you can't send it right away you can freeze it)

-affected calf - if alive - blood sample in purple top tube (make sure you rock the tube back and forth as it has an anti coagulant and you don't want the blood to clot - the DNA is in the nucleus of the white cells) or you can get a tissue sample from the ear using a pig ear notcher

- dam of calf - purple top tube or ear notch - label with dams name, breed and reg # if registered

- sire - if he is yours and has not been collected - purple top tube; if he is yours and has been collected send a straw of semen (it can thaw); if he is an AI sire most likely DNA will be on file;  label with name, breed and reg # if registered; do not send in plain envelope put in padded envelop or box

-pictures of affected calf, description of abnormality by you or vet, and if calf was necropsied copy of necropsy report; short video if you think that would help

- pedigree of affected calf

-your name, address and phone number (and email)

- send samples on Monday or Tues (depending on where you live) - don't want them sitting somewhere over the weekend; if they can get to Illinois from your place ground in 2 days that is ok, otherwise send 2nd day; unless you are sure it will stay cold include an ice pack. If you have a small styrofoam container that is good - also make sure everything is capped tight, tubes padded, and put everything in a zip lock baggie

- samples for a gene hunt go to Dr Beever (address below)

Jonathan E. Beever, Ph.D.
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
220 Edward R. Madigan Laboratory, MC-051
1201 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801 USA

Some associations will pay for a complete necropsy on calves with abnormalities - generally for those abnormalities that are not confined to a limb (ie TH, PHA, AM, NH etc -   the really gross ugly ones) - Dr Steffen in Nebraska generally does them and calves are sent to him (sometimes frozen) - sometimes a closer vet pathologist will work with the association and Steffen to do the necropsy - I always suggest that people submit samples before the calf goes away for necropsy and that you keep a chunk of ear in your freezer - that way you know (a) the sample got the the gene gurus and (b) you always have a sample

Most breed associations have a genetic defect policy - ie how you report abnormal calves - generally it is not obvious when you go to their web site and often it is placed in some obscure place -

If you have a calf with an abnormality and you live near a U or state vet lab you can always take the calf for necropsy, in some instances you can arrange to ship it for necropsy

Samples from Canadian calves with abnormalities can be shipped with an import permit that Dr B has

let me know if I left anything out

Hey BR - good to see you again and happy 2012! I think since A3 no longer wears the purple tub top most people have forgotten about them

 

[aj]

What is beevers e-mail again?

 

[DL]

What is beevers e-mail again?

check your pms

 

[Okotoks]

AgriGenomics website link to phone # and email and different Species tests available.

http://www.agrigenomicsinc.com/species.html

 

[sue]

Hello all, I hope that everyone had a great Holiday season!  We are all doing well here in Illinois, although it is unusually warm and I'm really wishing it would freeze I'm tired of the horses slopping around in mud.  With that said....

Just wanted to remind everyone of a few things.... First,  please, please, please stick a note in your sample so I know what it is.  I've gotten probably 3 boxes in the last few days with just a blood tube and no note.  I have no idea what it is.  Dr B is in an out especially during winter break, so unless he's in and I can ask him and he remembers (he does get about 250 e-mails a day), I can't really do much with a blood tube without any information.  Sometimes they come from a 3rd party shipper too, so I don't even have any owner information.  Right now I've got about 5 or 6 different projects in which I've got samples coming in.  

Second, if your calf is dead and you are sending tissue, DL is correct about the size.  I usually use about a chunk the size of a pencil eraser for DNA isolation and if the tissue sample is is good shape that usually gives me enough DNA to do what I need.  As was mentioned earlier, I don't need the whole calf.  I don't have the storage space for entire animals so just an ear or tissue chunk is fine.   I did get an entire lamb once, that was nice opening in front of the UPS guy lol! They typically want you to wait until they leave to open boxes now...As KSU said, just freeze it beforehand, put some ice packs in a styro cooler and ship it 2-3 day.

Lastly, I know I'm preaching to the choir here, you guys are really good about your purple tube tops  ;D, but I have gotten quite a few red topped tubes lately.  Not much I can do with them.  Sometimes I can get "some" DNA out, but there's no way to get enough high quality DNA to run on the chip.  Best way to ship semen is to use a ball point pen and take out the inside slide in the straw and seal it back up.  You do not need to ship it in a semen tank, I'm just going to kill the sperm anyway lol! Use a padded envelope or put into a box, if you just stick in a regular envelope sometimes the rollers that sort mail will tear the envelope and I'll get just an empty envelope with the "we're sorry" tape.  In fact, there's probably quite a few straws of semen floating around mail machines, makes you want to wash your hands after opening your mail huh lol!

Colosteers-I got the heads up from DL, so I'll be on the lookout for your package.  Dry ice does expand quite a bit (at least in my experience), but I'll know what's going on and open accordingly.  And you are correct I typically don't tell them what's in the box lol!  

Hey ... I want to send a couple straws .. to dna . If I send candy with the samples, will this move my results ahead????

 

[DL]

Hey ... I want to send a couple straws .. to dna . If I send candy with the samples, will this move my results ahead????

candy never hurts

 

[scotland]

Hey DL after all your great posts and the discussions  on the site about defects , we have persons proclaiming, with great authority I am told  of the bulls, by name and pedigree that are carriers of multitudes of problems? Wonder what part she didnot understand. Thanks again for all the great info.

 

[aj]

The calf that I had x-rayed has absolutely quit growing. He's probably 300 pounds less than his herd mates. It's not dwarf like but man.

 

[DL]

The calf that I had x-rayed has absolutely quit growing. He's probably 300 pounds less than his herd mates. It's not dwarf like but man.

WOW - that means less burger