Avian DNA Sexing

Avian DNA Sexing

Price: R370/sample
Testing: 5 Bird sample
Timeframe: Within 5 working days of receipt of DNA samples at the laboratories

Is it a male or a female? Get a definitive answer to your question with our avian DNA sexing service.

          

Note: The avian test will not detect the sex of the bird in all known bird species. 

Thanks to our avian DNA sexing you can now determine with 100% accuracy the sex of a bird and have your results in just 5 working days from the moment we receive your samples. We can test feather samples and/or blood samples. Pricing starts from just R370 for testing 1 blood sample (minimum of 5 birds)

Birds often lack obvious physical characteristics that help distinguish their gender accurately. Even the most experienced veterinarians and bird breeders may find tricky establishing the- Pluck around 5 feathers from the chest or breast of the bird (do not collect naturally moulted or shed feathers as these will most likely produce no viable DNA when examined) gender of certain bird species with absolute certainty. Please click here to view the full list of birds we can test.

Collecting Samples: Feather Samples & Blood samples

International Biosciences can test blood or feather samples. We strongly suggested you get an experience bird handler to collect your bird samples to avoid stressing the animal.

Using Feathers

• Pluck around 5 feathers from the chest or breast of the bird (do not collect naturally moulted or shed feathers as these will most likely produce no viable DNA when examined
• Place feather samples in a clean, unused zip lock bag. Make sure to clearly label the bag and not to mix feather samples from different birds.
• Fill out the submission forms and send the samples for testing

Note: when collecting feathers, examine each one quickly to make sure that you have also plucked the feather tip (the white part of the feather attached to the skin).

Using Blood

Collecting a blood sample from a bird can be more challenging than a collecting feather samples. The samples can be collected by following the below procedure:

• Thoroughly wash your hands and also disinfect the bird’s nail (an alcohol wipe or surgical spirit can be used to do this)
• Using a clean, sanitised toe nail clipper, clip the birds nail. You need to ensure to clip at the right point – clipping too high might cause pain or discomfort. If no blood ensues, try squeezing the nail.
• Using what is known as a blood card, simply blot the blood drop onto it.
• Apply some blood clotting powder to the nail that has been clipped – this will help sanitize the area and stop any more blood drops forming.
• Allow the sample to dry and send to the laboratory.

Cost For Avian DNA Test

For any questions or queries about our bird sexing service, do not hesitate to contact us.

Science Behind The Test

Bird species have a chromosomal designation known as ZW chromosomes which share no genes with the X and Y chromosomes we find in mammals. Females carry the ZW chromosome pairs whilst males have the ZZ chromosome pairs. Unlike what happens in mammals, it is the female who determines the gender and not the male. By testing a bird’s DNA, we can confirm the sex by determining the chromosomes in the sample.

FAQs