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Hereford and Red Angus Heifers Recruited for Genomics Research

The University of Missouri is recruiting 2,500 Hereford heifers and 2,500 Red Angus heifers to participate in a heifer puberty and fertility genomic research project. Heifers should be registered Hereford, registered Red Angus, or commercial Hereford or Red Angus. Hereford x Red Angus crossbred heifers targeted for the Premium Red Baldy Program would also be a good fit for the research project. Producers must be willing to work with a trained veterinarian to collect the following data: ReproductiveTract Scores collected at a pre-breeding exam 30 to 45 days prior to the start of the breeding season. PelvicMeasurements (height and width) collected at the same pre-breeding exam 30 to 45 days prior to the start of the breeding season. Pregnancy Determination Using Ultrasound reporting fetal age in days. Ultrasound will need to occur no later than 90 days after the start of the breeding season. In addition, heifers must have known birth dates and have weights recorded eithe
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You're Invited! PhD Defense Seminars

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  It has been a very busy fall for the Decker Computational Genomics Group ! This will be capped off by two PhD defenses the first week of December.  “Leveraging Large-scale Beef Cattle Genomic Data to Identify the Architecture of Polygenic Selection  and Local Adaptation” Presented by: Troy Rowan December 1st, 2020 at 1 pm CST Seminar will be presented on Zoom . In January, Troy will be starting as an assistant professor with a focus on beef genomics research and extension at University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.  "Genomics of Seasonal Hair Shedding and Ecoregion-Specific Growth to Identify Environmentally-Adapted Beef Cattle" Presented by: Harly Durbin December 3rd, 2020 at 12 pm CST Seminar will be presented on Zoom .  In January, Harly will be continuing in my group as a postdoctoral researcher. We appreciate all of the support and collaboration from the beef industry that has made this research possible. Further, research would not have been possible without
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Angus University: Focusing on Fertility

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 On October 27, 2020, Kelli Retallick and Duc Lu from Angus Genetics Inc. gave a seminar on AGI's research into haplotypes affecting fertility. The dairy industry has been reporting these haplotypes that cause pregnancy's losses for years.  I appreciate that Kelli and Duc emphasized that these should be treated like any other EPD, simply tools that help make selection and mating decisions. No scarlet letters needed! Jerry Taylor reported on USDA funded work on this topic at the 2019 BIF Symposium.  http://blog.steakgenomics.org/2019/06/bif-2019-developing-dna-tests-for.html   Let me know if you have questions about this research or these types of tools!
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2020 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle: FREE Webinar Series

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  Pre-registration is required for each session Nov 4th: go.beefrepro.org/Cow_Heifer Nov 5th: go.beefrepro.org/Bull Vet CE: go.beefrepro.org/VET_CE Following registration you will receive an email with session information and links Nov 4th – Cow & Heifer Session                   *All times are CST 1:00-1:45 PM: Dr. Phillipe Moriel, Univ. of Florida - Enhancing long-term growth and reproduction of heifers 2:00-2:45 PM: Dr. Reinaldo Cooke, Texas A&M - Nutritional strategies for pregnancy success  3:00-3:45 PM: Dr. Cliff Lamb, Texas A&M - Utilizing sexed semen in AI and ET programs 4:00-4:45 PM: Matt Perrier, Dalebanks Angus - Reproductive technologies that have changed the ranch   Nov 5th – Bull Session 1:00-1:45 PM: Dr. David Kenny, Teagasc - Bull development and its impacts on sperm 2:00-2:45 PM: Dr. Zach McFarlane, Cal. Poly - Bull nutrition for a successful herd sire 3:00-3:45 PM: Dr. Tom Geary, USDA-ARS - Bull fertility: nutritional effects and new measures  4:00-4:
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New research creates DNA tests for heifer fertility

Researchers seek Hereford and Red Angus heifers in include in the trials. By Heather Smith Thomas Reprinted with permission of BEEF Magazine. You can’t sell a calf that’s never born. That’s why fertility is the most important trait in beef cattle because it all has to start with a pregnancy. A heifer that settles early in the breeding season and continues to have a calf on time every year is much better than a heifer that does not breed, breeds late, or has only one calf and then comes up open and must be replaced by another heifer that is expensive to develop. There are a number of methods producers utilize in selecting heifers, but accurate tools to select heifers for fertility and early puberty have not been available—until now. The University of Missouri is doing a research project looking into the genetics of fertility and heifer puberty, led by Jared Decker, state beef genetics Extension specialist. He recently received a grant from USDA-NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agric
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Heifer Fertility Research Lays Groundwork for DNA Genetic Test: American Red Angus Magazine

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Pre-breeding exam at Red Hill Farms  Heather Smith Thomas wrote a great article on our Heifer Puberty and Fertility Genomics Project. Check it out in the American Red Angus Magazine.  https://issuu.com/redangusassociation/docs/201382_red_angus_oct20_complete_lr/40 Find out how to participate: https://blog.steakgenomics.org/2020/02/HeiferRecruitment.html http://blog.steakgenomics.org/2020/07/heifer-puberty-and-fertility-project.html
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Division of Animal Sciences Receive 2020 Research Equipment Grant

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A trio of researchers will purchase one GreenFeed Pasture System with the grant Written by Logan Jackson   A trio of researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Animal Sciences recently received a 2020 Research Equipment Grant from C-Lock Inc. to purchase one GreenFeed Pasture System, which measures the amount of methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide gases released by cattle. GreenFeed Pasture System, C-Lock Inc. Jared Decker, associate professor and state beef Extension specialist, Eric Bailey, assistant professor and state beef Extension specialist, and Derek Brake, assistant professor, are the trio leading the project for CAFNR. Their focus will be on using GreenFeed for the prediction of cow efficiency genetic merit (cow efficiency EPD) by combining gas production data, metabolic theory, and genomic and pedigree data. C-Lock Inc., founded in 2009, developed and patented GreenFeed. This is
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Marc Caldwell presentation at 2019 Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle

The fetus is the most susceptible to disease of any animal on the farm. The cow is basically a barrier for the fetus. Good biosecurity practices are more impactful (important) than a vaccine protocol. But, in reality, the two work together. Most disease problems are the results of purchasing practices. (Buying a BVD-PI cow for example.) Modified live vaccines are not 100% safe. MLV vaccines can only be in pregnant animals if she has previously been vaccinated with a MLV. For pre breeding, should be used 30 days, and preferably 45 days, before the breeding season. Killed vaccines are not 100% effective. Two doses in time (2 to 4 weeks apart based on label) is still the best. The memory B and T cells created from two doses are what provide long term, lasting immunity. Why do we use the same vaccines year after year? There is a new approach called Prime Boost. In this approach an animal receives two rounds of modified live vaccine. Then sometime in the future the animal recei
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Location: Knoxville, TN, USA
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