April 5, 2010

 

RE: DNA Sample Requirements Proposal

 

Dear Llama Owners,

 

The ILR Board has always listened to and considered member requests regarding the policies and operations of the ILR. We have had several requests from members asking that we require DNA be submitted to confirm parentage for registration. We have not required DNA due to the financial demand it would put on our members and llama owners.

We now have two easy options for DNA submission:

1.   Root Ball submission from fiber samples – pluck 35-45 hairs from the base of the tail and tape them to a piece of paper (download the form) containing the animal’s name, ILR number (if assigned) and the parent information. Be sure you can see the root balls attached to the base of the fleece – this is easy to see with a simple magnifying glass.

2.   FTA Card – a blood sample is drawn and applied to an FTA card. The animal’s name, ILR number (if assigned) and the parent information should be included on the card envelope.

The ILR Board is proposing that effective January 1, 2011, a DNA sample must be with each new registration, but it is NOT required that the sample be analyzed. Simply mark the Root Ball samples or the envelope for the FTA cards “For Storage.” Submission of the sample for storage does not cost anything so it will not raise registration fees.
 

We feel that requiring DNA sample for storage is beneficial because the samples will be available for future analysis even after an animal is sold or has died. For example, our current policy states that all herd sires must have DNA submitted for analysis when they have 9 or more crias registered or, 3 or more outside breedings. We have a number of registrations come in for registration each year where the sire has reached their tenth cria, but has been sold or has died, so we are not able to register the cria. If the DNA was stored, there would be easy and immediate access to provide the required information. Stored DNA available for analysis could also be useful to identify animals in the event of change of ownership, death of an owner or rescue situations.
 

Again, there will be no additional fees to have the DNA samples stored – it will NOT raise registration costs.

Please take time to consider this proposal and you will be asked to vote on this with the ILR Board of Directors Ballot in May 2010. Please direct any questions you may have regarding DNA submission for storage or analysis to [email protected].

Thank you for considering this proposal.
 

The ILR Board of Directors,
 

Mark Smith-President, Mary Jo Miller-Vice President, Kathi McKinney-Treasurer, Kristy Brown-Secretary, Bill Safreed-Member at Large and Jan Wassink-Registrar.

Thanks for your support!!

Along we Struggle . . . Together we Thrive!