Avian DNA Test Services

Racing Pigeon Performance DNA Test Services

Our Racing Pigeon Performance DNA Test Services analyzes eight major genetic markers of your racing pigeons, which influence your pigeons’ racing ability.
By understanding these genes, fanciers can make informed decisions in breeding, training, and race strategy, building a stronger foundation for future generations of high-performing pigeons.

Gene Marker	Primary Trait	Molecular Mechanism & Strategic Insight
LDHA	Endurance & Metabolic Efficiency	Regulates glycolytic rate and lactic acid clearance. Variants determine a pigeon’s capability for quick energy supply versus sustained energy supply.
CRY1	Internal Clock & Orientation	Encodes Cryptochrome protein, influencing the internal biological clock and light-dependent magnetoreception. Critical for maintaining accurate directional stability during long-distance flights.
DRD4	Homing Motivation & Alertness	Linked to Dopamine Receptor activity. Affects the pigeon’s alertness, exploratory behavior, and intensity of homing drive—essential for speed and consistency.
F-KER	Feather Quality & Aerodynamics	Determines feather keratin structure. Influences frictional drag between feather vanes and structural stability in adverse weather conditions.
MSTN	Muscle Power & Fiber Type	Regulates Myostatin expression, controlling muscle fiber development. The high-power G/G genotype is key for short-distance sprints.
LRP8	Spatial Memory & Learning	Involved in synaptic plasticity and spatial learning pathways. Directly affects the pigeon’s ability to memorize flight routes and adapt to new environments.
GSR	Magnetoreception & Oxidative Defense	(Glutathione-Disulfide Reductase) Linked to oxidative defense and potentially involved in the magnetic biocompass pathway—crucial for vast distance navigation.
CASK	Cognitive & Motor Coordination	Implicated in neuromuscular junction formation and sensory integration in the brain. Affects flight stability, sensory processing, and decision-making during complex flights.

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literature

LDHA: Ramadan, S., Miyake, T., Yamaura, J., & Inoue‑Murayama, M. (2018). LDHA gene is associated with pigeon survivability during racing competitions. PLOS ONE, 13(5), e0195121.

CRY1: Dybus, A., Kulig, H., Yu, Y.-H., Lanckriet, R., Proskura, W., & Cheng, Y.-H. (2021). CRY1 gene polymorphism and racing performance of homing pigeons. Animals, 11(9), 2568.

DRD4: Proskura, W. S., Kustosz, J., Dybus, A., & Lanckriet, R. (2015). Polymorphism in dopamine receptor D4 gene is associated with pigeon racing performance. Animal Genetics, 46(5), 586–587.

MSTN: Dybus, A., Proskura, W., Pawlina, E., & Nowak, B. (2018). Associations between polymorphisms in the myostatin (MSTN), $\alpha A$-globin and LDHB genes and racing performance in homing pigeons. Veterinarni Medicina, 63(8), 390–394.

LRP8, GSR, CASK (Integrated Homing/Cognitive Genes): Shao, S.-Z., et al. (2019). Genomic and phenotypic analyses reveal mechanisms underlying homing ability in pigeon. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 37(1), 134–143.

F-KER: Proskura, W., Lukaszewicz, A., Ropka-Przekorasa, K., et al. (2019). The Cys83Gly amino acid substitution in feather keratin is associated with pigeon performance in long-distance races. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(2), 290.

Actionable Value: Elevating Strategy from Experience to Genetics

Your SENO report is more than just data; it is a scientifically validated roadmap that upgrades your breeding and training decisions from trial-and-error to precise genetic guidance:

1. Precision Pairing Optimization

• Goal: Maximize the probability of producing champion-genotype offspring.
• Report Guidance: We provide specific pairing recommendations based on the complementarity of LDHA (Endurance) and MSTN (Explosive Power) genotypes. For example, pairing a high-endurance gene pigeon with a high-power gene pigeon to produce the most desirable All-Rounder offspring.

2. Individualized Training Protocols

• Goal: Optimize training efficiency based on the pigeon’s natural genetic potential, preventing overtraining.
• Report Guidance: The report clearly indicates the pigeon’s inherent talent for MSTN (power/acceleration) and LDHA (endurance/recovery). You can use this to customize the most suitable race distance, training intensity, and recovery schedule to ensure peak condition on race day.

3. Scientific Stock Bird Selection

• Goal: Quickly identify and retain high-potential stock birds, reducing investment in low-value pigeons.
• Report Guidance: Screen youngsters for key genes like LRP8 (Memory/Learning) and CRY1 (Navigation) using objective data to assess their genetic ceiling. This helps you cull genetically inferior or flawed stock before committing to costly training and conditioning.