Technology

What does EpiTrace do?

We bring epigenetic data to the food, livestock and horse industries to make animal husbandry, breeding and welfare more transparent, efficient, and sustainable.

To understand how our technology works, we need to distinguish between two layers of biological information:

Genetics – stable and constant:
Our DNA is constant, relatively unchangeable, and only evolves over many generations.
It tells us what an animal is, but it doesn't tell us how that animal lived.

Epigenetics – dynamic and responsive:
The environment, diet, health, stress, and husbandry conditions of a livestock animal directly influence the animal’s epigenetic markers, which are programmed on top of the genetics. Every aspect of an animal’s life leaves a physical mark. These marks appear as millions of "methylation marks." Collectively, they form a unique epigenetic record. Just like stamps in a passport, these markers document the life history of the organism.

The EpiTrace technology: Decoding animal lives

Using the patented EpiTrace technology, we can verify and study the history and lifestyle of an animal with a level of detail that was previously impossible.

How it Works:

Different species: We can work with samples from chickens, cattle and horses.

Versatile sampling: We can extract high-quality data from almost any source: meat (fresh or processed), tissue, cells, blood, hair or feathers.

Precision testing: Using the Illumina Infinium BeadChip (a methylation microarray), we utilize tens of thousands of specific probes to do a high-resolution scan of the epigenome.

AI-driven analysis: Our proprietary AI pipeline processes this massive dataset, comparing it against our extensive reference database.

The EpiTrace technology: Decoding animal lives

If you want to find out what EpiTrace can do to make your livestock system more transparent, efficient and sustainable, then contact us.

FAQ

What is livestock epigenetics?

Everything an animal experiences—farming conditions, nutrition, climate, and stress—leaves a distinct biological footprint. The science of epigenetics studies these biochemical changes. Specifically, EpiTrace analyzes DNA methylation, a process where chemical tags attach to millions of sites across the livestock genome based on environmental exposure. This creates a unique, highly identifiable epigenetic signature that serves as an unalterable biological record of an individual animal's specific life history, health, and environment.

What is the difference between livestock epigenetics and genetics?

Genetics studies the static genetic code (the DNA sequence) an animal is born with, which outlines its inherited traits or disease predispositions. Epigenetics, however, measures the dynamic interaction between those genetics and the environment.

Epigenetic biomarkers—specifically DNA methylation marks—sit on top ("epi") of the genetic code and shift throughout the animal’s life in response to husbandry conditions, age, and health status.

The EpiTrace Perspective is that genetics shows what could be, but epigenetics shows what really is.

What is a methylation microarray?

A methylation microarray is a high-throughput biotechnology tool. It is a palm-sized, rectangular chip engineered to detect thousands of specific DNA sequences simultaneously. The microarrays used at EpiTrace target pre-selected, high-value epigenetic methylation sites across the genome. This targeted approach allows us to scan an organism's methylome with extreme accuracy while remaining highly time- and cost-effective compared to traditional sequencing methods.

Why does the EpiTrace platform use methylation microarrays instead of Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS)?

While Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) is powerful, it sequences millions of non-essential regions, making it prohibitively expensive and time-consuming for commercial applications. EpiTrace utilizes custom methylation microarrays because they are specifically optimized for scalability. By targeting thousands of the most informative, relevant methylation sites, we deliver the exact same actionable biological insights at a fraction of the cost and with significantly faster turnaround times.

Which methylation array architecture is this platform built upon?

The EpiTrace platform is built upon industry-leading Illumina Infinium methylation microarray technology, ensuring gold-standard precision, high reproducibility, and seamless global lab compatibility.

What role does AI and machine learning play in the epigenetic analysis done by EpiTrace?

How do epigenetic markers affect animal health and productivity?

The environmental factors that shape an animal's epigenetic markers directly impact its future physiological development, immune system resilience, longevity, and overall performance. By testing and assessing these epigenetic biomarkers early in life, livestock managers can predict future health outcomes, optimize breeding programs, and make data-backed management decisions to boost long-term productivity.

Can epigenetics verify animal welfare conditions?

Yes. Because chronic stress, social density, and handling conditions fundamentally alter an animal's physiology, these experiences are permanently logged in its DNA methylation patterns. By analyzing these distinct epigenetic signatures, EpiTrace provides an objective, data-driven method to audit livestock life history and validate animal welfare.

Can epigenetic testing be done on meat or processed samples?

Yes. DNA methylation marks are highly stable and survive post-mortem processing. EpiTrace can successfully extract and analyze epigenetic signatures from fresh meat, frozen tissue, and processed meat samples, providing a powerful tool for post-slaughter meat provenance verification and food supply chain traceability.

Which animal species can EpiTrace analyze?

The EpiTrace platform currently features fully validated pipelines for cattle, poultry (chicken), and equine (horse) samples. We are actively expanding our database to include additional livestock and aquaculture species. If you are interested in applying our technology to a specific species not listed, please contact our team to discuss custom pipeline development.