By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
Research can play a pivotal role in identifying tools that can help beef farmers make better marketing decisions. One research project that was funded by the Agriculture Adaptation Council (ACC) found a way for beef cattle farmers to determine what the perfect carcass would be for the consumer. One of the tools that are now at beef ranchers disposal is ultrasound equipment coupled with a computer model that can assist in helping the farmer manage beef carcass prediction. Beef carcass prediction can help farmers make more informed choices about feed utilization and inventories, which can ultimately save the farmer money. You’re probably wondering how an ultrasound could be used to identify cattle carcass characteristics? The ultrasound equipment is used and is attached to a computer model and it’s the computer model that helps identify what the optimal day is to sell the animal on the market. The model predictions are often tailored to each individual farmer, depending on which market they are selling into. Utilizing ultrasound equipment is a very cost effective tool that can be used by pretty much any beef farmer. More information can be found at http://www.biobeef.com/