Lines of Credit and Long Term Debt - Long Term Debt Additional Information (Details) (USD $)							9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			18 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Notes payable	Dec. 31, 2013 Notes payable	Sep. 30, 2014 Royalty-based financing	Dec. 31, 2013 Royalty-based financing	Sep. 30, 2014 Trans Ova Genetics, LC Notes payable to banks American State Bank	Sep. 30, 2014 Trans Ova Genetics, LC Notes payable Iowa Economic Development Authority	Sep. 30, 2014 Exemplar Genetics, LLC Notes payable	Sep. 30, 2014 Exemplar Genetics, LLC Notes payable Minimum	Sep. 30, 2014 Exemplar Genetics, LLC Notes payable Maximum	Sep. 30, 2014 AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. Royalty-based financing Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency	Sep. 30, 2014 AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. Royalty-based financing Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency	Mar. 15, 2013 AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. Royalty-based financing Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding principal balance	$ 10,918,000	$ 1,653,000	$ 8,127,000	$ 0	$ 1,958,000	$ 1,653,000	$ 6,036,000	$ 1,466,000	$ 625,000			$ 1,958,000	$ 1,958,000
Periodic payment amount							39,000			1,000	3,000
Interest rate							3.95%			0.00%	3.00%
Periodic principal payment amount								183,000
Amount available under financial grant for research and development												2,574,000	2,574,000
Period to claim funding from government award												5 years
Royalty rate to be paid												10.00%
Amount claimed under financial grant														1,952,000
Long term debt														1,107,000
Accreted difference between face value of amount drawn and acquisition date fair value														(845,000)
Proceeds from issuance of debt													$ 767,000