LONDON: National Milk Records plc, the established agri-tech information services provider in UK dairy, listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange (AQSE: NMRP), has secured an exclusive licence for the exploitation of GenoCells technology in the United States of America.
This is an extension to an existing exclusive arrangement covering the United Kingdom.
Using a process called SNP genotyping, GenoCells can detect mastitis and sub-clinical mastitis for genomically tested herds, by reference and analysis of one sample of milk from a bulk-tank, without the need to sample and test the individual animals within the herd.
As such, it provides farmers with a quick and easy method for identification and treatment of individual animals for mastitis conditions, which are a key payment parameter for milk buyers in both the UK and the US. Further, it provides information to facilitate the reduced usage of antibiotics in the herd providing further health and economic benefits.
NMR has been piloting the technology in field trials in the UK for the past six months, alongside developing the laboratory infrastructure, and is preparing the necessary Information Technology systems to rollout to UK customers at scale later in 2022. The technology is already successfully widely used in France and Germany by third parties.
NMR is committed to begin the rollout of Genocells testing in the US with a target start date of 1st January 2023.
Commenting, Andy Warne, NMR’s Managing Director said: “Having seen the successful field trials in the UK, it is clear that this disruptive technology will provide real benefits to customers. We are well placed to extend our launch from the UK into the United States from next year, with the revenue potential for the technology possibly very significant in the medium term. The penetration of female genomic testing is higher in the US than in the UK which gives us a great footprint of herds which are already genomically testing to work with.
“The US dairy market has nearly 10 million dairy cows, compared to 1.8 million in the UK. NMR now holds an exclusive licence for Genocells for the UK and the US, but we also have the experience and know-how, together with good relationships in the US market, and we look forward to bringing the service to customers in the US.”
