Hair DNA Testing & Horses

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contains the genetic code that dictates a horse's physical appearance. Due to advances in this technology, DNA hair testing has become the method of choice. Verified profiles from both the dam-maternal contributor and the sire-paternal contributor can establish parentage with a 99.99 percent accuracy.

  1. Why Hair?

    • Because DNA can be collected from almost any bodily tissue, and hair is easily gathered, DNA hair testing has become the prescribed method. A sample of approximately 30 to 50 hairs with the root intact is all that is needed for a DNA hair test. Unlike blood, hair does not spoil quickly. One hair sample can last for several months.

    Steps for Parentage Verification

    • Pulling mane hair, or tail hair from a young horse, to isolate DNA from the individual involved is the first step. DNA is contained within the hair follicle cells and is composed of all the chromosomes for that individual. Twelve specific gene markers are tested to gain a profile, or genotype: a horse's genetic makeup. At each of the 12 markers, there is one gene from each parent. One gene is matched to the sire and the other to the dam to ensure that the gene pair has indeed come from the two donors. If all 12 markers from the original horse match the donors, then definitive parentage is established.

    Instances Requiring Testing

    • Many breed registries require verified parentage through DNA hair testing. Breeding stallions, dams exposed to more than one stallion in a 30-day period, a gestation period out of an acceptable range and foals resulting from transported or frozen semen and embryo transfer require pedigree verification. According to the American Paint Horse Association, any color or type that does not fit into the acceptable laws of genetics will be required to undergo such procedures.

    Collection and Completion

    • Collecting the hair for a DNA test is noninvasive for the horse and effortless for the horse owner.The owner need only pull a small hair sample from the root, request a kit from the appropriate breed registry and fill out paperwork. From the moment a test kit is requested, a hair sample collected in a timely manner and returned to be tested in the laboratory, parentage verification will take approximately 3 to 6 weeks.

    Test Expenses

    • If testing through a breed registry, you will be charged $60. This fee covers the $40 laboratory cost, as well as the cost of the kit and recording fees through the registry. Most breed associations utilize the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis.