a brilliantly simple way to get the most from your alpaca colour test results
- automatically deciphers NEOGEN results
- produces detailed allele codes e.g. Ee2a1a3
- calculates all your breeding colour probabilities
- includes a true black probability calculation
- provides real reference photographs
In the same way we breed for uniformity, density and maximum fleece cut weight then wouldn’t it be great if we could better predict colour outcomes too? Alpacas have so many beautiful colours and, if we were able to harness that raw and natural beauty in all our products, we could help reduce the need for dying. With environmental considerations so high on everyone’s agenda, there is an opportunity for alpaca fibre to come to the fore – beautifully soft, luxurious, and naturally coloured fibre products with no need for artificial additions.
At Dark Sky Alpacas we care passionately about our beautiful alpacas, Suri in particular, and strive to celebrate and promote their fleece by producing luxurious woven and knitted products. Our headline product is woven cloth in a bespoke Dark Sky tartan design which requires five different colour yarns.
As a small farm we must be really considered about our breeding decisions, so we’re always looking for ways to help give us the best chance of success. The colour and quality of our cria is super important to us because:
· we need all natural colours for our tartan – we don’t use any dye
· all our fleece colours need to be equally fine, uniform and lustrous – so important for the feel and sheen of the cloth
· and we love to look at that stunning variety of colours in our fields
Whatever your individual priorities are, understanding more about how base coat colour and pattern is controlled by genetics is a great advantage if you want to target certain colours or blends. It’s also particularly helpful as we quest to breed across the colours to bring more fineness and density, particularly to the darker fleeces.
Dark Sky Genie™ is an Excel based mating programme that automatically deciphers the NEOGEN alpaca colour genetic testing results (old and new formats for both ASIP and MC1R alleles) into detailed codes e.g. “Ee2a1a3”.
The Genie allows breeders to work through all their breeding options at the touch of a button and calculate colour probabilities. It also includes a specific ‘True Black’ probability calculator that draws on the observed phenotype results published by Snowmass and Cotton Creek Farms in the USA.
In addition to the outcome probabilities the Genie also shows reference pictures of alpacas with identical codes (a 'phenotype' view - although there are no guarantees!).
There’s an easy data input form for each alpaca, which also allows for fleece data to be input. Although fleece data is not used directly in the mating outcome calculations, it is there to encourage the cross referencing with the colour genetics for consideration of the best overall breeding options.
Watch a short video tutorial of
how to use and get the most from the Genie
Congratulations on purchasing your copy of the Dark Sky Genie.
The first thing to do is forward your alpacas' details, their NEOGEN colour test results and ideally profile pictures of them [taken when dry] to the Genie's magic lamp at Dark Sky Alpacas. We have created a handy pre-formatted spreadsheet for the data that you need to send, which you can download at checkout.
We will then quickly compile your very own and unique copy of the Dark Sky Genie and return it by email or large file transfer.
Use the 2 simple drop down menus to choose your breeding combinations, then sit back while the Genie translates the NEOGEN test result data into the detailed genetic codes for your selected alpacas.
The Genie then gives you 3 sets of results.
The first is the basic outcome probabilities along with the most probable coat colours that are associated with the codes. The colour chart gives an easy way to view the colour range that these codes relate to.
The second set of results use the ASIP and MC1R allele mutations data to produce a fine tuned set of probabilities. Research into the affect of the MC1R mutations in particular is limited at the moment, but the ASIP numbers appear to be key to unlocking more understanding of colour intensity.
The third result is the overall 'True Black' phenotype probability based on the summation of the observed likelihoods of getting a true black from each possible outcome.
The Genie true black probability calculation relies on the observed outcomes from a US Study (see Understanding the Black Base Coat Color Genotype in the References section below). They observed “181 animals that had “aa” ASIP base coat color genotypes and carried either zero or one MC1R gene dilution mutations. That is the animal’s base coat color genotypes were summarized as either EE aa or Ee aa...”
As per the Study findings The Genie assumes that there isn’t a difference in black probability associated with a single non-functional mutation in MC1R (a little 'e'), as their observed results weren't statistically significant to suggest otherwise. However, they acknowledged that they believe there is a high chance that a single little ‘e’ does reduce the true black base coat colour odds.
Similarly the academic research is inconclusive at this stage (see Identification of six genomic regions associated with pigment intensity in alpacas in the References section below).
So, this is one area The Genie will keep a close eye on and will update the calculation as required.
Still wondering if the little numbers in alpaca colour genetic codes matter?
The Dark Sky Genie has made a fun video that brings them to life based on observations in the latest studies. Enjoy (with the sound on 😉)!
One of the most exciting aspects of the Dark Sky Genie is the example photographs returned for each of the detailed outcome results.
These are anonymised images of actual alpacas with the same detailed colour codes drawn from an ever expanding library.
Over time this will become a rich repository of reference data to support and enhance further academic research into the understanding of alpaca colour genetics.
and finally.... The Genie allows you to print a copy of the results associated with each mating combination.
You can add additional alpacas along with their colour test results and update key fleece stats for all your alpacas - remember it's as much about fleece quality as it is colour.
Your own copy of the Dark Sky Genie™ for unlimited use with your own herd. Includes any Dark Sky Genie programme updates as a result of new developments in alpaca colour genetic understanding.
Includes initial set-up - loading your data and alpaca photographs.
Full library refresh with all the latest photographs from Dark Sky Genie members - available each January
An immediate library refresh when you contribute new photographs e.g. your annual cria births
Pay for individual mating outcome probability results including the most current library photographs where available. Purchaser to provide NEOGEN colour testing data for both alpacas.
Up to 5 single Dark Sky Genie™ mating outcome probability results each 12 months
Unlimited single Dark Sky Genie™ mating outcome probability results each 12 months
See Terms & Conditions below
If you would like an opportunity to see The Genie in action and test him out before you purchase then please head over to our shop (via the button above) and download a FREE copy to try.
The Demo Copy is loaded with real NEOGEN colour genetic data from a number of our Dark Sky herd alpacas.
The buttons on the data entry sheet are deliberately disabled in the Demo Copy, although you can see the fields and drop-downs that you would use to input your own data.
Other than that enjoy!
You need to have the latest version of Excel which is part of Microsoft 365 or Excel 2021. Earlier versions of Excel (2013, 2016, 2019) are no longer supported by Microsoft and do not have all the latest functions used by The Genie.
You can upgrade (PC or Mac) to Microsoft 365 via this link https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/install-office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5 There is an option for a 1-month free trial which can be found here https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/try
To set up your copy of the Dark Sky Genie you will need to provide the registry information requested, crucially all your Neogen Colour Genetics data and ideally a photograph of each alpaca. Once these are received our aim is for you to have a working copy available within a week. Timing will be confirmed when you place your order.
If you provide photos of your alpacas it will help to improve the photo library to provide you and other Genie users a better understanding of likely mating outcomes. It will also allow us to feed into further academic research.
The annual update is optional. Depending on how recently you had an ad hoc update, you may want to consider the annual update which will be available just prior to most annual mating decisions being made.
Once the Neogen Colour Test results have been provided for both alpacas in the mating scenario, the results will be emailed back to you within 2 business days.
No. Any photos you provide will be placed in the library annotated with the short and long genetic colour testing results of the alpaca - but the alpacas will not be named.
We will use best endeavours to incorporate any new knowledge in the Dark Sky Genie™ code and will provide it as a free update to licence holders. This commitment is subject to the nature of the new knowledge and whether it is possible to encode it in the Dark Sky Genie™ software.
On a best endeavours basis, we will aim to incorporate this into the Dark Sky Genie™ code and provide a free update to licence holders.
Bundles are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase
Holding a licence gives you a copy of the Dark Sky Genie™ on your own computer. It allows you to build your own database of females and males over time and helps you track your outcomes against expectations. The licence allows totally unlimited use of the Genie - although we do ask that this is only for your own herd or potential external matings involving your alpacas.
The Unlimited Bundle allows for any number of Dark Sky Genie results within 12 months of purchase.
The Dark Sky Genie™ simply presents any fleece data you've supplied or entered alongside the mating choice. This is to help breeders take a more rounded mating decision in addition to colour probability.
The output of the True Black Phenotype predictor in the Dark Sky Genie™ launch version is modelled on observations made of the Snowmass and Cotton Creek Alpaca Herds in the USA. The sample size was 181 alpacas and their phenotype (observed colour) was mapped against their Neogen Genetic Colour results. This has been translated into a set of probabilities for any particular genetic code resulting in a particular observed colour phenotype.
Not that we know of. Building up our database of photos which show the phenotype of alpacas with specific genetic codes will help us to build a progressively deeper understanding of all the factors involved.
We recommend you watch the video tutorial above and you can also email us directly at tomandwendy@darkskyalpacas.com
GRAY, N., SHAH, I., GROTH, D., MUNYARD, K., 11 May 2023. Identification of six genomic regions associated with pigment intensity in alpacas
SAARINEN, C (Futuregen), 31 January 2023. Fleece Colour Test: A guide to interpret the results https://futuregen.fi/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Fleece-Colour-Test-How-to-interpret-the-results-PDF_compressed.pdf
SAARINEN, C (Futuregen). Working With Colours https://futuregen.fi/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FG_Alpaca_99.pdf
EDENS, L (Snowmass Alpacas)., GILL, J (Cotton Creek Farm)., July 2022, The American Alpaca Journal, Issue 7. Understanding the Black Base Coat Color Genotype https://snowmassalpacas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/AAJ-July22-web.pdf
MUNYARD, K., 24 March 2022. Colour Genetics in Alpacas webinar https://youtu.be/ShuwaozkmBA
The American Alpaca Journal, Issue 6, January 2022. Alpaca Coat Color Genotyping Review and Preview https://snowmassalpacas.com/american-alpaca-journal/
SNOWMASS ALPACAS, 5 June 2021. Color Genotyping: What We Are Learning https://snowmassalpacas.com/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2021/06/Color-Genotyping-What-We-Are-Learning-Final.pdf
DUBE, G (Alpagas Sutton Inc.) Alpaca Colour Genotyping and the Classic Grey Mutation https://www.alpagassutton.com/alpacas/colour-genotyping-and-classic-greys
JONES, M., SERGEANT, C., RICHARDSON, M., GROTH, D., BROOKS, S., MUNYARD, K., First published: 12 July 2019. A non-synonymous SNP in exon 3 of the KIT gene is responsible for the classic grey phenotype in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/age.12814