Cargill and Branhaven License Genomics Tool

US – An agri-foods research and development company will be given special tools to get more out of cattle genetics, Cargill and Branhaven announced on Tuesday.
calendar icon 15 January 2014
clock icon 2 minute read

Animal health and food safety company Neogen Corporation has been granted a non-exclusive license for BeefGen genomics, a genetic assessment tool to improve cattle output.

BeefGen uses patented diagnostics based on molecular tools which can be used to maximise beef and dairy animals throughout production.

Breeders, cow/calf operators, feedlotters and dairies can all potentially benefit the joint Cargill and Branhaven announcement.

Cargill added that beef producers can harness BeefGen to optimise weight gain and improve meat quality by targeting, marbling, tenderness, red meat yield and rib eye quality, amongst others.

Dairymen can also benefit from the information given about breeding cattle and heifers which Cargill says will result in higher yields.

This extra knowledge can be implemented to improve fertility and disease resistance.

Cargill vice president for business development within animal proteins, George Kwasniak said the announcement is good for the company and the industry.

“Cargill is excited to enter into this license agreement with Neogen to ensure that the work started over a decade ago by Cargill and its partners is utilized in the marketplace more broadly,” said Mr Kwasniak.

“Cargill has used this technology at its feedlots and we are confident these tools will help the beef and dairy industries to increase productivity while reducing the resources required to produce each pound of meat and each gallon of milk.

Dr Jason Lily of Neogen said: “This agreement allows Neogen unencumbered access to extensive cattle genomic analytic and bioinformatic knowledge amassed by Cargill researchers and their partners.”

“This access to the intellectual property developed by one of the world’s largest protein producers through years of research should significantly add to our efforts to continue providing the most useful and innovative animal genomic tools for worldwide cattle producers.”

TheCattleSite News Desk

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