Copyright farmersweekly
Reading Time: < 1 minute Lincoln University’s Gene-Marker laboratory team has been recognised for the major impact it has had on the New Zealand sheep and cattle sectors. The three-person team, led by Professor Jon Hickford, with Dr Huitong Zhou and Dr Freeman Fang, were awarded with the prestigious Grasslanz Knowledge and Technology Transfer Award 2025 at the recent New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science forum held at Lincoln University. The award acknowledged decades of research translating genetic research into real-world tools. The Lincoln University Gene-Marker laboratory has made significant contributions to the sheep and cattle sectors by transferring its research findings into 13 commercial gene-marker tests and providing testing service to sheep and cattle breeders worldwide since 1999. To date the team has conducted more than 220,000 gene tests for more than 1000 breeding clients across 14 countries. Hickford said their strong two-way engagement with industry partners and farmers has bridged the gap between cutting-edge science and on-farm breeding decisions, resulting in long-term benefits across animal health, economic gains and environmental outcomes. Key achievements include gene-marker tests developed to identify footrot and scrapie susceptibility reduction, fertility traits, and tests for inherited diseases, all of which have improved animal welfare, reduced chemical and antibiotic use and increased productivity and sustainability. The laboratory works in collaborative relationships with numerous organisations, including several sheep breeding societies across both NZ and Australia. “We are proud to lead advanced livestock genetics and scientific understanding and have our ongoing dialogue with livestock breeders, both locally and globally, reflect our commitment to knowledge dissemination and technology adoption in the livestock sector,” Hickford said.
