If you are new to Dexters and have decided to keep a registered herd, you will need to use a genetic laboratory to test any new calves that are born on your farm. There are two genetic labs to choose from. Texas A&M lab -https://dextercattle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Texas-AandM-Lab-For-Instructions.pdf (PDF is also attached at the bottom) UC Davis lab- https://my.vgl.ucdavis.edu/myvgl/login.htm (Everything is done online, until you actually mail in the hair samples.)
https://dextercattle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Texas-AandM-Lab-For-Instructions.pdf They now have online payment for lab work!!! You can still send in a check if you want to, but you will have the chance to submit the payment online with a credit card. Less worry about your checks floating around out in the mail system. I have attached the new Lab submission form…..that has the payment link on the form.
I will also attach the link by itself: https://secure.touchnet.com/C21490_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=15439 On the online payment, just click “add to cart,” which will open up all your selections to make. You must still mail in the hair samples and paper form to the genetics lab. Hopefully, this new option helps some folks out!
https://my.vgl.ucdavis.edu/myvgl/login.htm
UC Davis lab submission (For those needing to do genetic testing on your cattle for means of registration or information) I made a video tutorial on how to submit lab tests to the genetic lab at UC Davis. Find it here: https://rumble.com/c/c-654913 A similar video is on there for how to submit lab tests to the lab at Texas A&M.
I receive a ton of calls for advice on which lab to choose. I typically answer their questions, with my own questions. I will ask them where their current Dexters were tested and on file (This info is found on their testing paperwork and if recent, on the ADCA pedigree site.) If they tell me their 5 new cows were all tested at Texas A&M (TAMU) then it would make sense to just stay with that lab. If they bought 5 cows that were lab tested at UC Davis and then bought a bull that was tested at TAMU, then I would say it would be easy to just transfer the bull's genetic marker test to UC Davis, so all their Dexters are now on file at the same lab. It makes for a less complicated calving season if you make sure to have all of your animals on file at one lab. Both labs will accept the genetic marker test (and any genotype test), from the other lab, for a small transfer fee. I wouldn't pass up a purchase on a great Dexter though, just because they used a different lab. I would just ensure that I had the genetic marker test on the Dexter I was buying.
Below you will see in the picture below, that our pedigree sight has the lab number listed for this heifer. She was tested at UC Davis. This is a fairly recent addition to our pedigree site, so you will likely not find this information if the Dexter is older than a couple of years.
