Avian sexing now available from simple mouth swab
Mouth swabbing is a new sampling approach now available that presents further choice to bird owners and breeders looking to have their bird sexed by DNA. Mouth swabbing offers an alternative to blood, feather and egg membranes, providing significant advantages to both bird and bird owner.
The sampling procedure simply involves ensuring the bird has no food in its mouth (if necessary it should be rinsed with water). Then a special sterile soft pad (similar to a cotton bud) provided by Biobest is used to rub the inside of the bird’s cheek for a few seconds. Cells from the cheek lining containing the bird’s full complement of chromosomes will then be attached to the pad, which we then extract for DNA testing in the normal manner.
Sampling by mouth swabs is considered less traumatic for the bird than plucking feathers and collecting blood. The technique is appropriate for all ages of birds, and is particularly useful for sexing chicks where egg membrane is no longer available, and feathers will not be suitable for several weeks. The cost of the test is £20 (£17.02+VAT). For further information please visit our avian pages or contact us to get advice, your free sampling kit and instructions.
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