Genetic testing for BLAD - Bovine Leucocyte Adhesion Deficiency

The Disease

Bovine Leucocyte Adhesion Deficiency is a lethal autosomal recessive disease of Holstein cattle. Affected calves suffer from frequent infections, which either fail to respond to or recur after conventional treatment. They normally die before reaching sexual maturity.

The Trait of Inheritance

Bovine Leucocyte Adhesion Deficiency is an inherited autosomal recessive trait. This means that a horse can be genetically clear (homozygous normal), affected, or a carrier (heterozygous). The carriers can spread the diseased gene in the population. Therefore, reliable information on non-affected horses is the key to controlling this disease.

The mutation-based gene test and its advantages

The genetic defect leading to the disease has been identified. By DNA testing the responsible mutation can be shown directly. This method provides a very high accuracy test and can be done at any age. It offers the possibility to distinguish not only between affected and clear horses, but also to identify clinically healthy carriers. This is an essential information for controlling the disease in the breed as carriers are able to spread the disease in the population, but can not be identified by means of common laboratory diagnostic.

Requirements

The test is performed out of EDTA whole blood (1 ml). The results are out about one week after arrival of the sample in our laboratory.

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