DNA testing of all Aberdeen-Angus cattle with the introduction of the Sire Verified Angus Scheme (SVAAS), will continue to be a major priority of the society over the coming year as consumers, retailers and restaurants demand greater traceability of food.

A major focus of 2017, the SVAAS provides members with an affordable, cost effective and voluntary method to expand their DNA testing, which includes the use of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPS) which also allows the possibility of using genomic technology in future. This should ensure all Aberdeen-Angus beef, raw or processed in the retailers, is traced back to a fully registered Aberdeen-Angus bull and is 100% guaranteed.

Speaking at the Royal Highland Show, last week, chief executive Barrie Turner said: “The Sire Verified Aberdeen Angus Scheme is vitally important to us as it protects the breed and the premium of our brand which is key for our breed moving forward. We need to give security to retailers and consumers that Aberdeen Angus beef is what it says it is. There is also a drive from the retailers to trace more back to the farm.”

In moving away from the microsatellite technology to SNPS, Mr Turner added that the price of DNA testing had been brought right down, and is almost half that of microsatallite at £25 for a bull calf when profiled on the advanced 54k SNPS chip. The new SNPS test also provides information on Myostatin levels, which is hoped will also encourage breeders to test their females.

Commercial Aberdeen-Angus bulls can be tested at an even cheaper rate too with the use of a lower density chip.

The society is now working with its members and partners to test all samples from stock bulls that have sired calves in the last three years. Females that have been used as ET donor dams will also be tested with samples profiled on 54k SNPS.

The society is now testing all of the bulls born in 2015 and 2016 on the new SNPS platforms. New stock bulls from 2017 onwards will be automatically tested on the 54kg SNPS chip.

With regard to official society sales, from September 2018, any bulls attending will be compulsorily sire verified and myostatin tested onto SNPS which further enhances the breed’s authenticity in a sale and commercial environment.