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Genexone - EPBL breeding loft
Assurance of quality services in the field of genetics and DNA - testing



• Genexone is using up to date and most precise methods of DNA analysis to assure the most reliable paternity testing. Sampling always has to be done by an independent veterinary professional.

• Genexone is collecting and building the largest DNA database of breeding pigeons from Holland, Belgium, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

• Genexone is offering to you and your pigeons the most reliable DNA analysis based on long term experience in the field of molecular genetics of birds.

• Genxone is creating largest DNA database of breeding pigeons from Czech Republic and Slovakia.

• Genexone is offering to test the DNA profile of your breeding (stock) pigeons for the very competitive prices.

• Genexone has the most competitive prices in the field of DNA testing in Europe. DNA analysis of homing, fancy pigeons and exotic birds with the level of certainty of about 99 %.

• Genexone will issue official certificate of parentity of the pigeon, which allows you to offer your pigeons for sale for prices higher by 200% than in pigeons without certificates of paternity.

• Genexone is offering with 100% certainty to test the gender of young pigeons right after your youngsters are ringed.

• Genexone is offering DNA analysis of LDHA gene, which determines the performance and speed in racing pigeons and breeding potential of your stock pigeons.

• Genexone exclusively collaborates on this project with Holland – Slovak breeding station “European Pigeons Breeding Loft”, to provide maximum professionalism in offered services.

• Genexone provides you with a protection of your genetic fond from fraudsters who sell pigeons of unknown origin under header of your name. End of rogue traders and fraud sales!

DNA-analysis of parentity in homing pigeons


Parentity determination in homing pigeons is a method where can be determine the father and the mother with 99,8 % certainty (7 markers). Seller or the owner of the pigeon can present the certificate, that the pigeon is exactly, what is declared by the pedigree.
In the case of purchase of very expensive stock pigeons can be, using DNA-testing, proved, that the acquired pigeon is the offspring of declared parents.
DNA analysis also protects breeders from fraud traders with youngsters (children, gr. children, etc.) of superb breeders. This is achieved also by storing the DNA in the Genexone database of the stock pigeons.
Breeders have the unique opportunity to send blood or feather samples via EPBL – breeding station (www.ekofarmar.sk), where these samples will be stored in the period of 8 years. Breeders have also the opportunity to verify the paternity of homing pigeons already established in their own loft by comparing the DNA profile with stock pigeons already archived in the database of Genexone. In the case when Genexone doesn’t have samples of stock pigeons in the database, it is necessary to provide samples (blood or feather), so such a DNA profile can be performed.
Each pigeon which is tested, Genexone will issue an official certificate of parentity sample click here....
For your and our protection, there is an opportunity to check the authenticity of the certificate issued by Genexone via internet at any time.

Gender DNA – analysis in racing pigeons


To determine the gender of racing pigeons using DNA analysis is 100% reliable system, when we can determine the gender of racing pigeons in very young age of the youngster (even still in the nest) right after it was ringed.
This has a significant use in those breeders/racers who race in widowhood system and uses only one gender (males or females only). When gender is determine, breeders can leave in the nest only those youngsters needed for its purpose.
In the case of selling young pigeons to the general public, we can offer pigeons with determined gender.
This service doesn’t require the veterinarian to take samples and we will accept samples of blood or feathers direct from the breeder. Also in this case Genexone will issue an original certificate.

THE LDHA GENE FOR TOP PERFORMANCES AND SPEED IN RACING PIGEONS


LDHA is the gene that stands for a lactate dehydrogenase enzyme in racing pigeons. This is an enzyme that is responsible for both the synthesis as recycling of lactate in the muscles. Lactate is made by the so-called white and mixed muscle fibers. It is what causes the pain in muscles when doing physical efforts, especially for efforts related to speed and power. It's these muscles that are being trained or raced and when an organism goes in anaerobic phase (glycolysis), meaning using as much power as possible. This is caused by the lactate, an acid made by the (anaerobic – without oxygen) burning of glucose. The more a pigeon reaches the maximum of his effort, the more lactate is made.

Genetics determined different alleles of the LDHA gene (an allele meaning a variation of a gene f.e. in racing pigeons eye colours there exists a recessive allele for white and a dominant allele for yellow pigmentation of the iris). These alleles have been giving the names A and B; with A being the preferable allele, found significantly more in top performance pigeons than in 'normal' pigeons and non-racing pigeons (Dybus et al, 2006, Ramadan et al, 2013). The 'good' A allele is a rare variation in racing pigeons, meaning only a minority of pigeons have this allele. Even in the absolute top racers and –breeders the majority has the BB genotype. This means that the A allele is not absolutely necessary to be able to win a national race or become an ace pigeon. From the scientific research and our findings (Ruben Lanckriet and Pascal Lanneau, 2013) we see that the “A” variation seems to be relatively more present in top birds from 300 to 700-900 km. This could actually be quite logical when looking into the biochemical and physiological meaning of this gene.

As all genes are found 'double' in (almost) all living animals because all animals have two homologue chromosomes (meaning two chromosomes for the same genes), different combinations of this gene can be possible in pigeons. There we have 3 genotypes possible with these 2 alleles, namely BB, AB and AA. In the 'normal' racing pigeons (meaning not the top pigeons group) only appr. 12% had the A allele and in this group less than 1% had the AA genotype (Dybus et al, 2006). In the pigeons with top performances more than 35 % had the A allele; the AA genotype was found in 3% to 9% (top racers from China and Taiwan) of the birds, but 25% to 30% had AB, indicating the AB genotype is very favorable to have a top or ace pigeons.

From what we see, it seems that this AB genotype is a good indication for top performances, especially in the race pigeons that race distances where both speed and endurance are important, meaning the day races. This indicates this gene could also be of the utmost importance for one loft racers.
This could be quite logical as it seems this gene can influence how efficiently lactate can be recycled and re-used in the muscles. As it's the more powerful muscle fibers that are responsible for lactate synthesis it is a normal conclusion this gene has something to do with speed, or better the capability to maintain a certain speed for a longer period of time. This could explain why it is found more in the ace pigeons from 300 to 700 km.

From the practical point of view we can say, that the best performing pigeons have genotype “AB”. This doesn’t mean, that we have to eliminate all pigeons with genotype, where this good “A” allele is not present (even small group of TOP-racers had a genotype “BB”). But it could mean a tremendous advantage for breeding strategies by breeding with the “A” allele. Ideally a “BB” top breeder would have to be mated with an “AB” or better “AA” pigeon, with clearly a much bigger chance to breed an ace day-bird pigeon. In the breeding combination “AA” x “BB”, all the youngsters will have the genotype “AB” and that means tremendous chance to have TOP-racers. In the breeding combination of the parents with the genotype “BB” x “AB”, we will get offsprings with 2x “AB” and 2x “BB”. In this case we have lowered our chance to have TOP-racers by 50%. In the breeding combination of the parents with the genotype “AB” x “AB”, we will theoretically get offsprings with 1x genotype “AA”, 2x genotype “AB” and 1x genotype “BB”. Our chance to have TOP-racers is lowered by 25% in comparison with breeding pigeons with genotype “AA” x “BB”.

What advantage we are getting by testing the genotype of our stock and race pigeons? First of all, we can race only pigeons with the genotype “AA” and “AB”. Here we have the far biggest chance to be very successful in the races.
In our breeding stock pigeons we will get by the LDHA gene analysis clear picture, how to pair to get as many as possible “AA” and “AB” allele pigeons for races. In the case, when we have plans to pair new breeder into our loft (from purchase or own stock), LDHA gene analysis clearly determine the genotype and we will pair this “newcomer” to the hens with appropriate genotype, so we can produce as many as possible “AB” genotype racers. We strongly recommend to have all our TOP breeders analyzed and pair them according of their genotype.
China and Taiwanese breeders achieved great results in races using racers from pair where LDHA gene was determined (statistically proven facts). In our day to day operation, we can eliminate from our racing team all “BB” genotype racer, unless they have good racing results in the category “Youngsters”. Other “BB” racers have very little or no chance to be successful racers in the future. For breeding purposes we can select some good racers with “BB” genotype and breed them with TOP-racers with “AA” genotype (optimal version).

Ruben Lanckriet, Pascal Lanneau
 (2013). The LDHA gene; The next step in genetics for top performances and speed in racing pigeons. Dybus A, Pijanka J, Cheng Y-H, Sheen F, Grzesiak W and Muszynska M (2006). Polymorphism within the LDH-A gene in the homing and non-homing pigeons. Journal of Applied Genetics, 47: 63-66.
Ramadan S, Yamaura J, Takeshi M, Inoue-Murayama M (2013). DNA Polymorphism within the LDH-A Gene in Pigeon (Columba livia). Japan Poultry Association




Contact information


Genexone s.r.o.
Legionářská 1319/10
779 00 Olomouc
Czech Republic

E-mail: genexone@seznam.cz or info@genexone.cz
WEB site: www.genexone.cz

Tel. to laboratory: +420 585 242 042; +420 606 023 492
Tel. - lab supervisor: +420 773 602 369

(laboratory GENEXONE will not provide any tel. information in regards of analysis and will not accept any samples sent directly to the lab!!!)


European Pigeons Breeding Loft - chov. stanica EPBL
member of PRO TRADE HOLDING s.r.o.
str. Rokosova 281
951 31 Mocenok
Slovakia

E-mail: ekofarmar@ekofarmar.sk
WEB site: www.ekofarmar.sk

Tel. for info: +421 944 374 004
Tel. for orders: +421 948 735 150

(all orders of the DNA-analysis and information will provide exclusivelly EPBL from 9.00 am. till 8.00 pm.
mo - fr)


Samples MUST be sent to the address:

EPBL – dept. of genetics
Rokosova str. 281
951 31 Mocenok
Slovak Republic


Pricelist of the products: click here...

Sponsor of the project - AGROLENS CENKOVCE (homing pigeon TOP feeds) click here...