10-3 IAN Scientific Breeding

 Cattle producers can learn how to increase the quality and efficiency of their herds through use of modern breeding technologies to improve genetics.  University of Idaho animal scientist John B. Hall is very knowledgeable about how beef or dairy cattle producers can improve their herds through the technology of artificial insemination and the genetic and economic benefits for cattle operations that adopt the practice: “ The primary focus of this group is to increase reproductive efficiency in beef cattle but also to promote and increase the use of artificial insemination in beef cattle. Artificial insemination is an asset because it provides access to proven sires that have thousands of calves that can be assessed for their genetic merits. Through artificial insemination we capture superior genetics that we couldn’t afford to if we had to buy the animal itself. Another technology, estrus synchronization, increases the reproductive efficiency of the herd. “We end up getting cows that may not be cycling to cycle and shift them to the front end of the calving season so that calves are older and weigh more at weaning time, and therefore are of greater value.