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Title: MATCHING BEEF GENETICS WITH PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT

Author
item Jenkins, Thomas
item Ferrell, Calvin

Submitted to: Beef Improvement Federation Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/2006
Publication Date: 4/18/2006
Citation: Jenkins, T.G., Ferrell, C.L. 2006. Matching beef genetics with production environment. In: Proceedings of the Beef Improvement Federation 38th Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting, April 18-21, 2006, Choctaw, Mississippi. p. 41-46.

Interpretive Summary: Broadly defined, the production environment is made up of all non-genetic drivers from all segments of the horizontally integrated United States beef cattle industry. The mobility of cattle in today’s beef industry challenges the commercial cow/calf producer to identify the cattle genetics appropriate to meet all the demands of various environments encountered. Meeting this goal is not feasible, but the producer can develop priorities and use these priorities to established boundaries for genetic potentials suitable for traits that affect productivity in the production environments their cattle are expected to perform. The key to matching cattle genetics with the production environment is to correctly identify the drivers of the production environment(s). Using the appropriate genetics would minimize the need to modify environment; i.e., cost of environmental modification would not exceed the gain in income associated with genetic change. Once characteristics of the production system are well defined, genetic variation within the U.S. beef cattle germplasm base enables producers to match the genetics to the production environment using either genetic improvement programs or by structured mating systems.

Technical Abstract: Broadly defined, the production environment is made up of all non-genetic drivers from all segments of the horizontally integrated United States beef cattle industry. The mobility of cattle in today’s beef industry challenges the commercial cow/calf producer to identify the cattle genetics appropriate to meet all the demands of various environments encountered. Meeting this goal is not feasible, but the producer can develop priorities and use these priorities to established boundaries for genetic potentials suitable for traits that affect productivity in the production environments their cattle are expected to perform. The key to matching cattle genetics with the production environment is to correctly identify the drivers of the production environment(s). Using the appropriate genetics would minimize the need to modify environment; i.e., cost of environmental modification would not exceed the gain in income associated with genetic change. Once characteristics of the production system are well defined, genetic variation within the U.S. beef cattle germplasm base enables producers to match the genetics to the production environment using either genetic improvement programs or by structured mating systems.