Forensic Services Summary

Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institure

DNA parenting testing

DNA parentage testing is used to confirm or exclude the parent(s) of an individual. It can be used to identify the mother, the father, or both. It requires DNA from both the offspring and the parent(s). This service is available for cows, sheep and goats. Currently, this testing can not be used to identify other familial relationships such as siblings or grandparents.

For example, this service can be used to identify if an animal reported as stolen is the offspring of an animal from a different property, assuming samples can be sourced from both the supposed offspring and the supposed parent.

DNA identity testing

DNA identity testing is used to confirm or exclude two samples as originating from the same individual.

For example, this service can be used to identify if blood on a weapon originated from a particular animal, assuming a sample of both the blood and the animal in question can be provided.

A common query: what if I have already had some of my animals DNA profiled at another laboratory?

Answer: We can, in some cases, use DNA profiles from other laboratories to run parentage testing or identity testing.

The type of analyses we run use what is called single nucleotide polymorphism (commonly abbreviated to SNP) data. For cattle and sheep, we use SNP data from specific panels endorsed by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) and the Australian Sheep CRC, respectively. Most labs that generate DNA profiles by SNP data (i.e. Neogen, for example) will have data for these panels. If you enquire with the laboratory at which these animals were profiled, they should be able to confirm for you whether or not the profiles they have generated for these sires use SNP profiling and include markers from the relevant panel. If they do, please arrange for a copy of these profiles to be sent to us in digital format (i.e. an Excel spreadsheet, not a hardcopy) from the laboratory and we can use this data combined with ours for parentage analysis.

If these animals have been profiled using microsatellite (commonly referred to as single tandem repeat, or STR) data, these profiles are not compatible with our technology and we will not be able to use the data for our analysis.

Species identification: DNA barcoding

DNA barcoding is a method of species identification that compares the DNA sequence of a given sample against a large database of DNA sequences to determine which species the sample most closely matches. This service can be used to identify samples from thousands of species, including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and plants. This technology relies on the submitted sample having originated from a single species and will not work for samples that may contain DNA from animals or plants of several species. This technology requires a higher quantity and quality of DNA than species-specific testing and may not be successful on trace DNA or highly degraded samples.

For example, this service can be used to identify the species of origin of eggs.

Species identification: Species-species testing

Species-specific testing is a method of species identification that aims to specifically identify the presence of absence of DNA from a given species in a sample. Currently, this service can be used to identify DNA from cow, sheep, goat, pig, horse, dog and cat, as well as a range of aquatic pests. Species specific testing is also available to determine whether a sample contains DNA of avian or mammalian origin, but will not identify the specific bird or mammal species. This technology is extremely specific and can identify the presence of species-specific DNA in trace or highly degraded samples. This technology does not rely on a uniform sample type and can identify the presence of DNA from a specific species in a mixed sample.

For example, this service can be used to identify the presence of small quantities of dog meat in a sausage containing meat from several species.

Sample submission

We accept a wide range of sample types including ear notch, hide, tissue, blood, swab, tapelift, semen and hair.

Moisture and heat are the main risk factors when submitting samples. Many sample types rapidly degrade at room temperature and should be sent frozen or chilled. Hair samples can be sent at room temperature. Samples should always be packaged in paper or cardboard and never wrapped in plastic or air-tight packaging as trapped moisture will promote microbial growth. This excludes liquid samples such as blood, semen or saliva, which should be sent in sealed, impermeable packaging such as a plastic vial. Be aware that DNA can rapidly transfer between samples and samples should always be packaged individually to prevent contamination.

Ideally, samples should be submitted by express post. All submissions must include a hard copy of the veterinary forensics submission form. It is also helpful if a digital copy of this paperwork can be emailed to us prior to receipt of the submission.

For enquiries regarding sample submission or testing, please contact us using the details below.

Contact us

Lillian Brancalion Professional Officer Biotechnology
NSW Department of Primary Industries | Biosecurity & Food Safety
Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI)
Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568| Private Bag 4008 | Narellan NSW 2567
T: 02 4640 6279 E: lillian.brancalion@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Dr Brendon O'Rourke Team Leader Biotechnology
NSW Department of Primary Industries | Biosecurity & Food Safety
Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI)
Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568 | Private Bag 4008 | Narellan NSW 2567
T: 02 4640 6441 | T: 1800 675 623 | M: 0457 163 839
E: brendon.orourke@dpi.nsw.gov.au