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What
is DNA?
This acronym stands for Deoxyribo-Nucleic-Acid.
It is a long, complex molecule carrying information in the form of a chemical
code and dictates how the body and cells should form.
What
is the average turn around time for testing?
Approximately 1 to 2 business
days.
How do I get my
results?
Preliminary results can
be phoned, faxed or emailed. Certificates are usually mailed the following
business day. You can also view your sexing results received within the
last 30 days on our Results page.
How do I get my
account number?
Just give
us a call or email us. Your account number can also be found on the right
hand corner of the mailing labels.
How
should I ship my samples?
Regular mail is OK, however if you
are working with a limited amount of time please send them via overnight
mail. Priority mail is not guaranteed by USPS. Blood vials should be shipped
in a padded envelope or box. To prevent further breakage please send eggshells
in a box.
How much
blood is needed?
Generally, 20-50ul of
blood is sufficient for all our DNA based tests.
Can blood cards
be submitted for disease testing?
Yes, but we prefer blood
collection vials for disease testing rather than blood cards. Because
of the extreme sensitivity of our disease testing, false positives may
result from environmental contamination on the blood cards.
Which is more
reliable, blood or feather testing?
DNA remains the same regardless
of where it is extracted. Both tests are equally accurate.
How
many feathers are needed for testing?
We recommend sending at
least five (5).
Are freshly plucked
feathers necessary for accurate results?
DNA takes an extremely
long time to break down, however, testing is likely to be more successful
if feathers are freshly plucked.
Can molted feathers
be used?
We do not recommend sending
molted feathers simply because they tend to carry much less usable DNA,
and we want to be certain that the feather is from the bird being tested.
Will
feather sexing promote feather picking?
No. Feather picking is
generally a neurotic disorder that is not started by plucking a few chest
feathers from your bird.
Will the feathers
grow back?
Feathers generally grow back in 4 to 6 weeks.
What tests can
be performed using feathers?
DNA sexing and PBFD testing
are the only assays we offer using feather samples. In the future, we
will be able to DNA fingerprint from feathers as well.
Does a bird have
to be a certain age?
From birth to death, DNA
remains the same across all species, so there is no age range for the
most accurate results.
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