Cloning & Genetic Preservation

 

Capture, secure and recreate performance

Working & Performance Dogs

Tissue banking and cloning may arguably provide the next generation of performance and working dog breeding. For traits of high heritability, cloning can help to take the guesswork out of animal breeding and ensure elite genetics are secured and passed on to future generations. In this way, it may help to reduce the percentage performance failure rate of each generation produced. Used around the world already to produce high quality breeds of various animals, this could be the next big step for canines.

As for companion animals, even if the viability of cloning is unclear in the immediate term but tissue banking ensures the genetics of a valuable animal are never lost and provides a unique opportunity for their future recall should the option arise. Elite Kennel Fertility also provide an epididymal semen harvesting and freezing service for those who may not have had the chance to collect from their dog before castration or sometimes before the unfortuate passing of their dog.

Preservation for the Future - Elite Kennel Fertility & Gemini Genetics

Who, how & why?

In conjunction with our sister company Gemini Genetics (launched in 2018), Elite Kennel Fertility are proud to be part of one of the UK’s first animal tissue banks. Gemini Genetics, working with the US based cloning company, Viagen, are collecting and preserving tissue samples taken from a range of species for banking and genetic preservation purposes.

At present, the only means of preserving an animals’ genetics is via freezing of sperm cells (entire males) or egg cells (females). However, whilst semen freezing is generally widely available for many species, technologies are limited in this field for females and for castrated males the option is clearly voided. Whole genetic preservation is also prevented by the reduced DNA content of male and female sex cells (50% of the DNA of body cells). Tissue collection and freezing by Gemini Genetics offers a solution to these issues and permits whole genetic preservation of valuable and endangered animals; a service that may prove crucial to the survival of rare and endangered breeds/ species and to the safeguarding of the genetics of individually valued animals.

 

The Procedure - Safe & Simple

From a minimum of three skin biopsies are taken from an animal, the tissue sample is sterilised and sectioned before preserving and freezing in liquid nitrogen; a process that permits indefinite preservation of the animal’s DNA. In the event a breed/ species should near extinction or a valued animal passes away, the preserved tissue can be despatched to the USA for cloning to permit breed regeneration and recall of lost genetics. Even if not used for this purpose, the preserved DNA acts as a safety net to ensure a breed/species or the genetics of an individually valued animal are never lost.

 

Why Invest in Tissue Preservation?

• DNA of the donor animal is indefinitely preserved, safeguarding the genetics of valuable animals & providing the opportunity for future cloning.
• Permits breed/species conservation and ensures the genetics of valuable animals are never lost.
• Enables preservation of the genetics of females and castrated males where technologies are currently limited.

View the Gemini Genetics website here.

Please contact us for more information and click here to book.