A while ago we started DNA testing of some of the most important breeding animals of our herd. The tests' main purpose was to obtain a 100% certainty about the animals' pedigree, especially of those bred through artificial insemination. All tests were carried out by a specialised company in New Zealand: AgResearch - Invermay Agricultural Centre - Mosgiel . Soon all calves born in 2002 will be tested, together with the breeding hinds that have not been tested yet. From September 2003 onwards the DNA profile of every single animal in our herd will be known. In other words: we can fully guarantee a 100% correct pedigree. These days the paternity's correctness is not a problem either: all matings are "single sire" and we never use back-up or chaser stags. Calf-to-dam identification, on the other hand, can sometimes be a problem: for example when several calves are born on the same day, when animals lose their eartags, etc. Moreover, we are no longer really inclined to immediately identify new-born calves by means of an eartag. This often produces disturbance and unrest among the herd, in a time when peace and contentment are an absolute necessity. There is a chance that in the future records of our data base will be forwarded to AgResearch (NZ) in order to determine the DBV of our breeding products. DBV stands for "Deer Breeding Values". This technology was only recently introduced in New Zealand's deer industry. Peel Forest Estate was clearly the pioneer in this field. It all adds up to this: Ag Research evaluates the data records by means of specialised statistical methods. The result is an estimate of each animal's genetic potential. Depending on the data records sent to Ag Research percentile rankings can be composed for animals of the same age and sex, for a.o.: potential for growth and meat production potential for antler growth ... Eventually, potential customers are offered a stronger sense of security about the genetic features of the animals they wish to purchase. At the moment we are not using this technology yet, but we do investigate the possibilities it offers for our company. We will further inform you on this matter via our website.