Genetic consultants
provide ongoing advice on the design and implementation of
cost-effective breeding programmes for the livestock and aquaculture
industries. The focus is on achieving high rates of genetic progress,
while avoiding/managing inbreeding and allocating different genetic
types to the most suitable production systems. We are active in
the development and
implementation of vertically integrated breeding programmes for
aquacultural businesses
the development of
software for genetic improvement (e.g. managing relatedness due to inbreeding)
consultancy on optimal
breeding scheme design and operation for commercial breeding
organisations
Clients:
NZ King Salmon
Leading New
Zealand sheep breeders (15 major breeders selling around 12,000 rams
each year)
Irish Cattle Breeders
Federation
Scottish Agricultural College
NIWA
[Peter
Amer] [top]
Importation
of Animals, Plants and Food
and Market Access / Exportation
Importation
of animals and plant material or export of animals, genetic material or
particular animal products to new markets is always difficult. Long
delays through overcommitted authorities are common, but our direct
experience with relevant government organisations in importation,
export
and market access can make the difference. Our
experience includes:
Selection,
importation
and quarantine of a number of exotic sheep breeds (including Awassi,
East Friesian), followed by management of these programmes. The
programmes ran for 4 years and included the multiplication and sale of
exotic sheep.
Importation of sheep
embryos from Israel, Australia and South Africa.
Selection,
importation
and quarantine of King and Gento penguins from the USA and UK.
Representation of
companies in export authority
compliance
assessments.
Development of export
protocols for fresh egg and egg product exports from New Zealand to
South East Asia.
Clients
Kelly Tarlton's Marine Park
New Zealand zoos
A2 Corporation
Mainland Poultry
AbacusBio consultants research and provide
advice on all aspects of animal growth and productivity. We have
provided expert advice on management (including nutritional and genetic
aspects) to enhance productivity and product quality in the sheep, deer
and dairy industries. Relating these characteristics to
individual
animals, lineages and genotypes enables selection for the best quality
breeding stock and production of high quality products.
Clients
NZ Game Industry Board
AgResearch/FoRST
Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company
Teagasc
[Peter Fennessy, Neville Jopson] [top]
Food
Science
Abacus
consultants are involved in consultancy and research and development
management in meat, dairy and deer products (including velvet antler).
These include:
meat quality and
genetics
research and
development strategy underpinning new product development in the dairy
and meat industries
Clients
AgResearch/FoRST
Australian Dairy Research and Development Corporation
Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company
[Peter Fennessy, Neville Jopson] [top]
Imaging
Technologies
Biomedical
research has delivered an array of scanning technologies that have
wide-ranging applications in the animal and plant fields. AbacusBio
consultants have considerable experience in the use and application of
imaging technologies like ultrasound, DXA and CT
scanning. Our experience includes:
technique development
image analysis
technique and software development
Clients
Innervision and Innervision clients
AgResearch
[Neville Jopson] [top]
Reproductive
Technologies
Rapid
multiplication of important or scarce animals is often critical in
animal production systems. AbacusBio is skilled in the provision
of
programmes for artificial insemination (AI), multiple ovulation and
embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro
fertilisation (IVF) and embryo development programmes, and for juvenile
in
vitro embryo transfer (JIVET,
possible in 6 to 8 week old lambs); we also have access to some of the
best operators and veterinarians working in these areas where required.
The
secret to efficient software development is finding programmers who
understand the required application. AbacusBio has
undertaken
a number of software development projects in the broad areas of
genetics
and breeding. We have successfully and cost-effectively met the
client's
needs because of our grasp of the science and requirements of this
area.
Examples include:
Pedigree Navigator - a
pedigree visualisation tool
RamFocus - a
customisable breeding index calculator for sheep farmers
Our
consultants have the expertise to turn your data into information. Many
companies collect data as a matter of course and the data sits locked
up
in a database. The data contain information which could enable the
company to fine-tune or transform their business. Examples include:
Analysis of a meat
company's supplier database to rate suppliers on a range of performance
criteria
Development of systems
to analyse animal performance databases for specific traits
