Parentage (paternity)
Parentage (paternity / parentage) explained in simple terms
With the help of parentage testing (also known as paternity testing), a statement can be made as to who the actual father of the offspring is. To do this, the DNA profiles of the mother, the potential fathers and the offspring are compared with each other. This means that in the event of a mating accident or double mating, a sire can be assigned to or excluded from the respective offspring. Parentage reports are also frequently requested by breeding associations in order to be able to create a reliable pedigree and counteract illegal practices (forged pedigrees, trunk sales, etc.). We offer parentage testing for dogs and cats as well as for horses. In the case of dogs, more complex parentage issues, e.g. parentage with only one parent animal, can also be verified.
FAQs
For a parentage analysis we need DNA profiles of the same type (Classic or Premium DNA profile) from father, mother and offspring. If a DNA profile of the parent animals is already available, a copy of this can be submitted. If you yourself were the invoice recipient of the DNA profile of the parent animals, it is sufficient to state the LABOKLIN report number.
Yes, customers can submit DNA profiles (also from other laboratories) for parentage tests together with their samples as copies or files by e-mail.
Please ensure that the DNA profiles of offspring and parents all comply with either ISAG 2006 or ISAG 2020 standards to ensure comparability within a case.
If only one parent is available and a reliable result is desired, we recommend the Premium DNA profile together with a biostatistical calculation for the parentage analysis.
A comparison with only one parent animal using a Classic DNA profile can also be carried out, but does not always provide an unequivocal result.
If we find deviations in the DNA profile of the parent animal to the offspring, paternity or maternity can be ruled out. This result is certain.
If we find no deviations, paternity or maternity cannot be ruled out. This means that the animal is a possible father or mother, but it could also be an animal whose DNA profile does by chance not differ from the DNA profile of the puppy. We see such cases when the animals are related to each other or when they are from a breed with a small population.
Do I have to carry out the parentage analysis for all puppies?
As dogs can have different fathers in a litter after multiple mating, it is essential to check each puppy against each potential father for parentage verification. This is the only way to ensure that each puppy is assigned the correct sire. The result of one puppy cannot automatically be transferred to all puppies in a litter.
If both parents are present, the exclusion or qualification of parent animals can be correctly determined with a probability of over 99.9% with both the Classic and the Premium DNA profile. If only one parent is present, the exclusion of the animal can be reliably determined with both the Classic and the Premium DNA profile. The statement as to whether an animal is the mother or father of the tested offspring can only be confirmed with a high degree of probability using the Premium DNA profile together with a biostatistical analysis.
