Background
Founded in South Africa over a decade ago, Molecular Diagnostic Services, MDS, uses 11 different DNA sexing methods, which covers nearly all the avian species, and has always prided itself on the accuracy, ease, rapid turnaround time and price of its sample collection service. With its second branch in Australia and the third now in the UK, the company is internationally accredited and follows ISO 17025 guidelines.
As part of its ongoing strategy to provide a more cost-effective and efficient service to its customers across the world, specialist avian DNA testing company, MDS, has opened it’s first UK branch in North Somerset.
Their latest branch, MDS UK, is located in Winscombe, near Bristol and is managed by Kathy Martin. Clients across the country will now be able to contact the local depot and request an MDS collection kit, which allows them to easily collect a pinprick of blood from their birds. These are then sent back to the local branch where they will be sent by bulk courier for processing by the central laboratory.
According to MDS, this improved facility will assist their existing UK clients in that all contact and transactions will be done locally, the postage will now be much more cost-effective and the results will be even faster.
Their Service
Molecular Diagnostic Services, MDS, offers an avian testing service and employs the most advanced technology to perform its tests. All tests are quality controlled and are highly accurate and sensitive. The DNA sexing test is based on the differences in certain genes of male and female birds. We have a greater than 99% accuracy with the DNA sexing. All we require is a small drop of blood. From the same drop of blood we can also test whether the bird is positive or negative for the following diseases: Psittacine Beak and Feather disease virus (PBFDV), Avian Polyoma virus (APV), Chlamydia psittaci (CP) and Pachecos disease virus (PV). We do test for other diseases, but these are the most common in the Psittacine species. Our preferred sample is a drop of blood collected using our simple collection kit, as the samples are stable and the risk of contamination is reduced.
Once collected, the blood samples need to be posted to MDS UK, Point Four Parsons Way, Winscombe, North Somerset, BS25 1BT. (Please note it is up to you as the customer to ensure when sending the kits back that the correct postage amount has been paid for).
MDS UK will then send your samples by weekly courier to the MDS laboratory in South Africa. Within three working days of the MDS laboratory receiving the sample(s) in South Africa, we will contact you with the result. The results are given in a neat table form with our letterhead. If individual certificates are required these must be specifically requested; individual certificates cost £1 each. Prices are per test per sample within any one batch; e.g. 10 birds for DNA sexing will cost 10 x £6.90 = £69.00 The costs of the tests (per bird) are in Pound Sterling
Kits
The kit consists of a small Safelock tube containing a strip of special paper and a sterile needle. Most people are finding that pricking the bird just above the claw on the upper side of the toe is the easiest, touch the tip of the paper to the blood and then place the paper containing the blood back into the tube. Make sure that you never touch the tip of paper where the blood is collected with your fingers. Mark the tubes and fill in the request form and send the samples back to MDS. We recommend sending your samples in our collection kits back to us in padded envelopes via First class mail, or special delivery next day or courier.
The MDS collection kits can be ordered directly from MDS at a cost of 50p each. There is a minimal order of 10 kits (i.e. 10 x tubes plus 10 x needles = £5.00). There is also a minimum postal charge of £1.50.
The kits are posted first class mail unless the customer requires the item guaranteed next day recorded delivery at an additional £4.50 or if required via courier with a minimum charge of £30.00. We do ask for payment for kit orders before the order will be processed. Payment of the tests is also required when the samples are sent in to the MDS Lab for processing. We have found that the easiest form of payment is by cheque sent with the samples or via credit card, for which we will require the following details: Name on card, Type of card, Card number, The last 3 numbers at the back of the card below the magnetic strip (CVV number) and Expiry date.
For further enquiries contact Kathy Martin
at