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Introducing Xelect Genetics and breeding services for aquaculture

Why genetics?

For any producer with their own broodstock a genetic-based breeding programme provides a key advantage and is the secret weapon for success. You can breed fish or shellfish proven to thrive in your production environment sustainably, year on year. A genetics-based breeding programme helps you:

• Protect and nurture your broodstock: Your broodstock is the heart of your business, and is the source of all future growth in your production. Our breeding programmes help you avoid the risks of inbreeding and increase your genetic potential.

• Get better performing fish or shellfish: You choose the traits that deliver the best commercial returns (whether improved growth, reduced FCR, higher meat yield, increased survival, greater disease resistance or higher flesh quality) and we select high performing individuals that deliver the gains you need. Growth increases of up to 15% per generation can be achieved.

• Scale your production: Our leading genetics software delivers optimal mating plans for the genetic nucleus and multiplier broodstock. The use of carefully selected “multiplier” groups boosts commercial returns in each generation and enables production to be scaled to any desired level.

Gains in the breeding population are cumulative, which means that you should see further improvements every single generation and can quickly pull ahead of your competitors.

Why Xelect?

Xelect is a specialist aquaculture genetics partner with a global portfolio of customers, including some of the biggest names in the industry.

Our team brings together a wealth of experience in genetics, biology, bioinformatics and production management to develop bespoke breeding programmes, providing absolute confidentiality and independent expertise. Whether you are looking for an extensive breeding programme to create a premium product or just looking for advice and guidance, Xelect can help.

From our state-of-the-art laboratory in St Andrews, Scotland, we can work internationally with all species of fish and shellfish. By working with Xelect you are effectively gaining access to your own in-house genetics department at a very competitive cost.

You can learn more about our full range of services, catch up on our latest projects and see profiles of our international, multi-lingual team on our website, www.xelect-genetics.com.

Our range of services

Xelect Elite is our premium service for aquaculture producers.

You’ll have a dedicated Programme Manager (a highly qualified aquaculture genetics specialist), regular progress reports and visits from our expert team to help you design and operate a world-class genetic selection programme. We’ll provide you with detailed support to help you increase the health, profitability and sustainability of your production.

Xelect has unparalleled knowledge of a wide range of species and we have developed proprietary selection markers and software to analyse and optimise mating schemes to produce rapid genetic gains whilst controlling inbreeding.

Breeding programmes are premium, long-term, strategic partnerships, designed to create transformational progress.

Xelect Direct is targeted at the smaller producer who still wants to access the benefits of the latest genetics techniques and technologies.

We’ll build a bespoke package of work to meet your needs. Examples include:

• A one-off report on the genetic makeup and pedigree reconstruction of your stocks

• Advice and guidance on optimising your breeding programme to ensure sustainability

• Consultancy services to help increase specific traits

• Support when establishing a new broodstock, identifying the best possible population to use as a basis for future growth.

Xelect Direct gives you a premium service without the requirement for a long-term contract. We’ll happily agree a price and programme that’s right for you.

Although Xelect is best known for providing premium genetics support to global aquaculture producers our unique blend of expertise and experience also mean we’re perfectly placed to offer a wide range of specialist consultancy and reporting services.

We’ve established a reputation as a trusted independent advisor to companies investing in the aquaculture space, with successfully completed projects across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and South East Asia. Examples of the services the Xelect team can provide include:

• Independent genetic audits of broodstock and breeding programmes

• Biological due diligence of hatchery operations, biosecurity, animal welfare, production and harvesting

• Evaluation of biological assumptions in business plans.

Because all of our services are delivered in-house we can offer complete discretion and total confidentiality.

Xelect Express provides rapid genetic services on demand from our state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with robotics, flow cytometry and Illumina™ DNA sequencing machines. Our services include:

Ploidy determination: We provide an independent 24-hour service for triploidy determination which is widely used by salmonid breeders. The service enables the efficient optimistaion of triploidy protocols and is accompanied by a certificate that breeders can dispatch with egg deliveries.

Sex determination in salmonids: We can provide rapid sex determination from fertilised ova to adult fish - an excellent way to manage stock control and check supplier quality with all-female fish. Results are usually returned within 5 days.

Genotyping and relatedness analysis: By analysing your broodstock we can help you avoid problems associated with inbreeding and support you with the long-term sustainability of your breeding programme.

Our Toolkit

A powerful software suite

Xelect’s advanced suite of software, OptiMate, uses evolutionary algorithms to run hundreds of thousands of mating combinations and find the best possible outcome for your production.

Our high specification genetics laboratory

Our custom-built laboratory in St Andrews, Scotland, allows us to run genetic programmes entirely in house without the delays and additional costs of using a third party. At the heart of our laboratory are our Illumina MiSeq™ DNA sequencers.

SNP panels for a growing range of species

We’ve already developed the genetic tools we need to work with the majority of common farmed species, however we’re developing new panels all the time, and can work with any species.

A vibrant network of academic experts

We are backed up by a well-established network of external consultants. Our laboratory is a stone’s throw from the Scottish Oceans Institute (where our CEO was a former Director) and we also have close links with the animal genetics researchers at the Roslin Institute of the University or Edinburgh.

A strategic partnership

Genus plc, the leading terrestrial farm animal genetics company have a minority shareholding in Xelect. This valued partnership brings collaboration on animal breeding and genomic technologies with their world class R&D team based in the United States.

An active R&D pipeline

We are constantly developing our breeding programmes based on the latest advances in science. However, we’re also working on ground-breaking new services for aquaculture such as a 3D laser scanner which allows us to make accurate estimates of fillet yield of live fish.

Our techniques

Xelect can support all of the main kinds of advanced breeding programmes. We work closely with our customers to identify which approach will offer the best commercial return.

CLASSICAL SELECTION

Physical measurements (“phenotype”) and genetic analysis (“genotype”) records are recorded across at least two generations, allowing us to estimate the genetic component of the traits of interest. From this we calculate a Breeding Value for each individual animal, scoring their potential contribution to your breeding programme. Our in-house software then uses evolutionary algorithms to create the optimal mating plan for the genetic nucleus or multiplier broodstock by analysing hundreds of thousands of possible scenarios and identifying the best combinations.

MARKER ASSISTED SELECTION

This is a powerful method allowing direct selection of fish or shellfish with particular genetic combinations that are known to improve key traits. These vary from species to species, but can include disease resistance, faster growth or fillet quality. We have patented genetic markers for Atlantic salmon which are proven to result in improvements in yield and flesh quality and can undertake R&D projects for marker discovery.

GENOMIC SELECTION

Genomic selection represents the gold standard for advanced breeding programmes. High density SNP genotyping of a reference population and selection candidates enable the calculation of Genomic Breeding Values which provide greater selection accuracy. Xelect is pioneering the use of 2nd generation genomic selection techniques which provide almost all of the benefits of high density genomic selection but at a fraction of the cost.

Find out more

What gains will I get?

Watch our 2 Minute Talk on the key benefits of a breeding programme and what kind of improvements you can expect.

How does a programme work?

We build all of our programmes from scratch for each customer, but our short animation explains how your breeding programme could work in practice.

Get a genetics health check

Our handy online tool helps you check whether your broodstock management approach is on track.

Get in touch

We'd love to discuss your genetics needs, and are happy to set up a quick introductory meeting to share more about what we do.