Beef genomic value to be shown at MU Thompson Farm, Sept. 15
Thompson Research Center , where beef breeding trials started in northern Missouri, will host a field day Sept. 15. The University of Missouri research center is located at the end of Highway C west of Spickard, Mo., off of Highway 65. The theme is "Management Strategies to Improve Beef Cattle Production." Rod Geisert is superintendent and MU professor in reproductive physiology, Columbia, Talks and tours start after registration at 8:30 a.m. Exhibits and lunch will be provided. Research at the farm led to nationwide adoption of artificial insemination (AI) protocols to breed all cows in a herd on one day. This brings uniform calf crops with less labor at calving time. At the same time, genetics for quality beef were added to gain premium prices at harvest. Now Thompson Farm steers fed out grade USDA choice and prime. Packers consistently pay highest prices for prime grade beef . At the field day the next step will be explained on using genomics to predict a calf