Recording the DNA – which is crucial to improving animal breeding programmes, herd management and traceability within the New Zealand meat industry – used to require blood being drawn by syringe and despatched for testing in vials.
Now AgResearch can record the same information by merely swabbing an animal via the specially-impregnated label.
Although Hally Labels’ Ryan Granger says his company has vast experience developing labels specifically for the local meat industry, this particular project required considerable background research and development even before trialing could begin.
“The technical team at Hally had their work cut out in producing this product to a standard that satisfied AgResearch’s requirements in quality and delivery,” he says.
“A product was needed that could be successfully manufactured in a 24-hour five-day-a-week manufacturing environment, with minimal effect on wider production. So, developing a robust manufacturing plan was paramount.
“We needed to overcome the difficulties of de-lamination of a clear synthetic top sheet (minimising stretch) to allow us to feed in the DNA tape material in one pass, during which the label is also printed and die cut.
“The die tooling took further development. A die was needed to cut through the synthetic top sheet and the DNA tape, while at the same time placing a functional perforation between each label.
“Overall, this has been a challenging project that has taken many hours to perfect, but which now runs very successfully and provides the customer with a unique solution to a challenging requirement.”
A similar sampling device, also manufactured by Hally Labels, is currently in operation by Australasian company Catapult Genetics, a world-leader in livestock DNA testing.
An Australasian-based company, Hally Labels has local offices in Auckland and Christchurch. It supplies digital offset, letterpress, screen printed, water-based and UV flexographic printed labels to the meat, poultry, dairy, beverage, wine, manufacturing, fruit and produce and retails sectors.
“We love a challenge and are continually working to develop new labelling initiatives for a range of customers and industries,” adds Mr Granger.
Hally Labels has entered its innovation EasiTrace label into the Pride In Print awards.
