When
you are shopping for Piedmontese seedstock, knowing
that the animal is registered or recorded with NAPA
is the best way to be certain that you will get an animal
with the Piedmontese Myostatin genetics.
All
cattle that are 100 percent fullblood and can trace
their pedigree back to the Italian registered Herdbook,
may be eligible to be registered in NAPA's fullblood
category. If a fullblood animal is found to have LESS
than 2 copies of the allele, they will be removed from
this category of registry.
The
NATURALEAN™ registry and recordation categories
are for any animal less than 100 percent fullblood,
and for those fullbloods which cannot trace their parentage
back to Italian seedstock. These animals must be test
verified PRIOR to registration or recordation to prove
that they carry at least ONE myostatin allele. 2-copy
Naturalean are Registered, and 1-copy Naturalean are
Recorded.
Animals
with zero (0) copies of the myostatin allele are NOT
eligible to be registered or recorded with NAPA.
Naturalean™
Registry certificates will state the level of Piedmontese
blood an animal carries...PLUS will identify if they
have 1 or 2 copies for myostatin.
The
term "purebred" is NOT used in NAPA - as it
has been mis-leading to breeders and buyers in the past.
Up-graded so-called 'purebred' cattle (less than 100%
pure) have been confused with "fullblood"
cattle (100% pure)...and there is potential for some
up-graded 'purebred' cattle registered with other Piedmontese
Associations to have zero copies for myostatin.
So,
in all cases, when you see a NAPA Registration Certificate
which states "Fullblood" you are assured that
the animal has 100 percent Piedmontese blood, traceable
to the country of origin - Italy. All fullblood cattle
tested to date have been 2-copy for myostatin. (Homozygous)
When
you see a NAPA Naturalean™ Registration
Certificate, you know the animal has been test verified
to have at 2-copies for Myostatin (homozygous)...and
the level of Piedmontese blood will be stated. The NAPA
Naturalean™ 1-copy cattle will be Recorded
in the Herd Book - and these heterozygous cattle will
be clearly identified as RECORDED (rather
than Registered.)
USDA
research confirms that the Piedmontese 1 and 2 copy
cattle are far superior to 0-copy cattle, both for carcass
production traits and for beef tenderness.
Using
a 2-copy bull on zero copy (non-Piedmontese) cows ALWAYS
results in 100 percent of the calf crop having 1-copy
of this valuable Myostatin allele.
Select
your seedstock - backed by the integrity of the NAPA
Registry - and be assured you will get the genetics
you need to improve your beef program.
