Waikato Times - Tool punches above its weight

Orders for the DNA punch developed by Livestock Improvement's GeneMark laboratory with Zee Tags are treble the original expectations

27 July 2006 -- The punch uses a Zee Tags ear tagger to collect a small sample of tissue and stores it in a sealed pouch, which can then e sent direct to GEneMark for analysis, or refrigerated until several samples are collected and sent to the lab.

GeneMark laboratory manager Simon Yarrow had expected orders for 25,000 punches in the first 10 weeks following the April launch, but instead got 75,000 orders. The punch costs $1 per animal.

"Farmers who have never considered DNA analysis are using this tool to confirm parentage of their capital stock because it's so simple and cost effective," Mr Yarrow said.

The punch was runner up in the New Way of Thinking Award at the Fieldays this month.