Tikana Genetics
The original Wapiti cows of the Tikana herd originated from wild caught Wapiti out of Fiordland. Pure Elk genetics were introduced from North America with importation of live bulls. Tikana has utilised reproductive technology with artificial insemination for 3 decades using the best genetics available from North America,when possible, and subsequently from within New Zealand.
All our deer are tissue sampled for DNA typing through Genomnz laboratory at Invermay . This allows for gBreed analysis which provides us with an average genotype for the herd - 87% elk, 10% red deer and 3% eastern red deer. Being 87% elk ensures we retain some of the “hardiness” for which Fiordland Wapiti are renown, and avoids the “rangyness” so often seen with purebred elk.
Since 2005 Tikana has submitted herd information to DEERSelect – the national deer recording database. Pedigree and production data is supplied and estimated breeding values (eBV’s) are generated. The analysis to obtain these eBVs means that all the environmental effects have been removed. This allows the comparison of individuals based on their genetic merit alone.
On DEERSelect the eBVs provided are calculated across the different herds of red deer and separately across the different herds of wapiti. At present the eBVs generated for the different breeds are not comparable.The ability to compare across all breeds - Wapiti and red herds will hopefully be available in 2023.
The eBVs on this site are directly comparable to eBVs of other Wapiti herds for growth, meat and parasite resistance traits. Wapiti from one herd can be directly compared with those of another Wapiti herd as the environmental effects have been accounted for. Currently there are few Wapiti herds entering velvet data and none connected for velvet and so the eBVs for velvet on this site are within the Tikana herd only.
Click here for the latest Wapiti Deer Select Sire Summaries.
History has shown that selection for only a single trait can mean rapid progress in that trait but to be at the detrimental to other traits. In the pork industry a selection focus for high growth came at the expense of meat quality. In the dairy industry a selection focus for high milk production came at the expense of fertility.
At Tikana we believe we have a good balance of traits being selected for. We use WT12eBV for growth, MVWeBV for velvet, EMAceBV and LEANYeBV for meat and carcass composition. For more information on these traits see the venison or velvet page. We have also been saliva sampling each crop of fawns since 2011. This CARLA test measures the protective immunoglobulin produced in saliva in response to parasite challenge. In December 2016 an eBV for this was developed and so now all Tikana deer have a CARLA10eBV.
All our deer are tissue sampled for DNA typing through Genomnz laboratory at Invermay . This allows for gBreed analysis which provides us with an average genotype for the herd - 87% elk, 10% red deer and 3% eastern red deer. Being 87% elk ensures we retain some of the “hardiness” for which Fiordland Wapiti are renown, and avoids the “rangyness” so often seen with purebred elk.
Since 2005 Tikana has submitted herd information to DEERSelect – the national deer recording database. Pedigree and production data is supplied and estimated breeding values (eBV’s) are generated. The analysis to obtain these eBVs means that all the environmental effects have been removed. This allows the comparison of individuals based on their genetic merit alone.
On DEERSelect the eBVs provided are calculated across the different herds of red deer and separately across the different herds of wapiti. At present the eBVs generated for the different breeds are not comparable.The ability to compare across all breeds - Wapiti and red herds will hopefully be available in 2023.
The eBVs on this site are directly comparable to eBVs of other Wapiti herds for growth, meat and parasite resistance traits. Wapiti from one herd can be directly compared with those of another Wapiti herd as the environmental effects have been accounted for. Currently there are few Wapiti herds entering velvet data and none connected for velvet and so the eBVs for velvet on this site are within the Tikana herd only.
Click here for the latest Wapiti Deer Select Sire Summaries.
History has shown that selection for only a single trait can mean rapid progress in that trait but to be at the detrimental to other traits. In the pork industry a selection focus for high growth came at the expense of meat quality. In the dairy industry a selection focus for high milk production came at the expense of fertility.
At Tikana we believe we have a good balance of traits being selected for. We use WT12eBV for growth, MVWeBV for velvet, EMAceBV and LEANYeBV for meat and carcass composition. For more information on these traits see the venison or velvet page. We have also been saliva sampling each crop of fawns since 2011. This CARLA test measures the protective immunoglobulin produced in saliva in response to parasite challenge. In December 2016 an eBV for this was developed and so now all Tikana deer have a CARLA10eBV.