HealthGene's Avian Bulletin (06.20.2005)

IN BRIEF
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MATING TWICE IS GOOD FOR KAKAPO
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Kakapo is more likely to succeed in fertilizing their eggs if they have mated twice. New Zealand's biologists are prepared to help these critically endangered birds. The Department of Conservation is considering artificially inseminating any would-be kakapo mothers if they do not take a second mate on their own. Kakapo need all the help they can get: there are only 86 of them. Last summer, just 11 of 27 eggs laid were fertile. Six hatched, and only four chicks thrived.
Source: NewScientist.com
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SLOW GROWTH LED THE GIANT MOA TO EXTINCTION
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Researchers at the London's Institute of Zoology have analyzed the bones of a 700-year old flightless moa and concluded that this more than 2 m tall bird, was driven to its extinction by slow growth. The concentric rings that represent the annual growth have shown that it took the giant moa at least 10 years to grow to its full size, making it the slowest-growing bird on record. All birds alive today reach full size within a year or so, with sexual maturity following soon after.

The giant moa lived on an island without predators which made them unique from other bird species. Arrival of Maori hunters and their incapability to quickly replace their breeding population are believed to what led the giant moa to extinction.
Source: The New Zealand Herald
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HEALTHGENE'S HIGHLIGHTS
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CUSTOMER APPRECIATION PROGRAM IS IN EFFECT
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To show our gratitude to you, we are starting a customer appreciation program. In this program, you can save 10% off on any avian DNA sexing test that you send in.

Rules:

1. The discount cannot be combined with other discounted prices.
2. To receive the discount, you have to send in 50 samples for sexing within the same year.
3. The discount will be applied to every sample that is received after you have reached the 50 sample mark.
4. Resubmissions are excluded.
5. The program starts yearly.

For example, from January 2005 to July 2005 you send in 48 samples. Then in August 2005 you send in 5 more samples. For 3 of those 5 samples, you receive 10% off. Any other samples you send in after that and before December 31, 2005, you receive 10% off as well.
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HEALTHGENE'S NEW AVIAN RELATION DNA TEST
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HealthGene is proud to present a new DNA test to determine the relationship between birds. The Avian Relation DNA Test has been designed to solve problems of inbreeding, to help in maintaining a healthy aviary, and to manage breeding by establishing the best pairs.

In nature, the selection process relies on strength for survival. Any specific characteristic of an animal or bird that carries a negative effect for the population will take this animal or bird out of the reproduction process to stop it from passing this negative characteristic to the next generation. In the hands of a breeder the selection process switches from survival to other goals. For example, the breeder would focus on improving certain beauty characteristics even though it would sometimes lead to diminishing other important qualities that would be required in the wild. Very often the breeder will choose inbreeding as a way to bring out those beauty characteristics faster and easier. Uncontrolled inbreeding leads to health problems. Symptoms that characterize close inbreeding over several generations include decreased fertility, shorter life expectancy, and lower resistance against climate changes and diseases.

The problem of inbreeding has also become an issue with nature conservationists. Dramatically reduced populations of many species makes conservation and protection the only ways to ensure survival of those species. Sometimes, it means taking birds or animals out of the wild, breeding them in captivity and releasing them back into their native environment. A reduced population leads to higher relatedness rates between birds or animals, and inbreeding becomes unavoidable. Properly managed and controlled inbreeding can help to avoid symptoms of heavy degeneration.

Avian Relation DNA Test is based on creating a unique DNA profile for each bird and calculating a rate of shared markers or bands. The band sharing frequency (BSF) between two samples allows for the estimation of the degree of relatedness between the birds from low (BSF is between 1% and 46%) to high (BSF between 76% and 99%). Birds with low BSF rate are not related to a significant degree and should be considered as prime breeders. Pairs with a high degree of relatedness are siblings, the parent and an offspring, or have several common ancestors in their pedigree. Birds with intermediate BSF percentage share common lineage.

HealthGene requires a blood sample or a blood feather for Avian Relation DNA Test. The results are reported in 10 business days after the arrival of the samples to the laboratory. Please visit our website www.healthgene.com to order FREE sample collection kits or learn more about the services provided by HealthGene Laboratory.

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ARCHIEVES
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR PREVIOUS BULLETINS
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- REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEMS RELATED TO INFECTIONS (04/15/2005)
(http://healthgene.com/avian/arch_bull_0415.asp)

- NEW AVIAN PROFILE:
AVIAN RESPIRATORY PROFILE (12/31/2004)
(http://healthgene.com/avian/arch_bull_1231.asp)

- INFECTIOUS AVIAN DNA TESTING:
THREE-YEAR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS (11.03.2004)
(http://healthgene.com/avian/arch_bull_1104.asp)

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