ADRIAN, Minn. — People lined up July 12 to peer into a microscope at Bullerman Angus Farm in rural Adrian.
They were visiting as part of the Summer Beef Tour, put on by the Rock-Nobles Cattlemen's Association.
Beneath the microscope's lens were unfertilized bovine eggs. The Bullermans use embryo transfer so that more of their cows give birth to calves that carry consistent, high-quality Angus genetics.
Tom and Trish Bullerman run the cow-calf seed stock operation with their sons, Tyler and Trent.
Tyler handles the farm's embryo transfer work. He has an animal science degree from the University of Minnesota and previously worked for Veterinary Medical Center in Worthington and its embryo transfer division. He also transfers embryos at other farms.
Out of the Bullerman's 80-cow herd, 15 cows calved after embryo transfer this year. Next year, it will be a little over 20 cows.
Recent purchases brought their purebred Angus donor cow total to six head.The donors are chosenbased on phenotype, disposition and solid expected progeny differences statistics. The Bullermans want calves that wean when they're larger than 800 pounds and yearling bulls that reach 1,300 to 1,400 pounds.
The donors' embryos are implanted and develop in recipient cows, those that rank at the bottom of the herd.
The process starts when donor cows are given follicle stimulating hormone injections so they release multiple eggs during an estrous cycle.
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