Making sustainable breeding decisions for camels with the help of new evaluations of individual genetic diversity

In most domestic and farm animals, genetic diversity is already taken into account as a standard in breeding management. This is necessary to minimize harmful effects of inbreeding. The loss of genetic diversity leads to the manifestation of hereditary diseases and a decrease in population vitality. Consideration of the preservation of genetic diversity is an important aspect of sustainable animal breeding.

generatio now offers an innovative evaluation for camelids. Based on advanced chip technology, we can perform comprehensive analyses of genetic diversity, in addition to ID profiles for identity and parentage determination. The service is available for dromedaries, Bactrian camels, and alpacas. The collected data can also serve as a basis for targeted search for hereditary diseases and other traits.

The testing of genetic diversity includes, the degree of heterozygosity and the genomic inbreeding coefficient (GIC). The degree of heterozygosity provides information on the differences in alleles of the captured markers of a camel, which is an indicator of genetic diversity. The genomic inbreeding coefficient, on the other hand, indicates how much depletion of the gene pool of an individual can be observed. It is calculated based on so-called Runs Of Homozygosity (ROHs). ROHs are genomic segments that are homozygous in an individual because they have inherited the same alleles from both parents.

We also offer personalized consultation to obtain informed assessments regarding the breeding use of your tested animals. We take into account the genetic profile of your animal, the kinship relationships of potential partners, and key figures for already recorded herds (distribution of inbreeding coefficients in herds and populations). For existing profiles, the consultation costs €50 per animal for 30 minutes, while each newly ordered profile includes one consultation unit.

Learn more about: Chip diagnostics for camels, genomic inbreeding coefficient, heterozygosity.

If you would like to have your animals tested, please contact our camel expert Judith Müller: judith.mueller@generatio.com.