Genetic tools work together to improve herds

Improving cattle herd genetics is a long-term effort.

Randie Culbertson, Extension cow-calf specialist with Iowa State University’s Iowa Beef Center, said there are several tools available for cattle producers.

Culbertson is planning the center’s third annual Genetic Symposium, scheduled for Nov. 19-20 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on the ISU campus in Ames. She said speakers will discuss topics such as expected progeny differences, genomics and testing for genetic defects and potential mutations.

She said a key factor in these discussions and in producers deciding what to use on their farm is the bottom line.

“How do you get return on investment?” Culbertson said.

The tools for genetic improvement can complement each other.

“Some of the tools that we talk about for genetic improvement in the cow herd are EPDs and genomics,” Culbertson said. “There are pros and cons to both, and they’re both tools to improve genetics.”

She said EPDs work to project how offspring will fare.

“We’re estimating what is the genetic merit of that animal, and what do we expect to see in that progeny performance,” Culbertson said.

Producers can get value from these statistics, but she cautions that the effectiveness depends on having good-quality data.

“There is some error involved with it because it’s only as good as the data that’s available,” Culbertson said.