New Zealand biotech company Boviquest has achieved a world first, selling a licence for the use of two New Zealand dairy cow genes to multi-national animal health company Merial. Boviquest - a joint venture between NZAX listed Livestock Improvement (LIC) and Fonterra’s Vialactia - was the first company in the world to identify the exact genes relating to milk production in cows. It is now the first in the world to commercially license those genes. Boviquest commercial manager Peter Gatley would not say what the deal was worth. But it would bring in significant cashflow, enabling the company to find new genes. The research team was on track to discover several more valuable genes over the next two or three years. Merial, which has annual revenue of $2.5 billion, will be allowed to use the technology only for screening cows. New Zealand farmers will retain exclusive access to its use in screening breeding bulls, Gatley said.
