A Steak in Genomics™

John Pollak Emeritus Professor, Cornell University 50 years is a milestone in time that provides an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments. It is also an opportunity to reset the clock. The process for selection Establish a goal Create a breeding objective Collect data for traits defined in the objective Utilize the data to predict genetic merit (other steps I missed) What was the goal to motivate selection we performed over the past 50 years? Pollak could not identify a consistent goal over the last 50 years. We can look at genetic trends and see that genetic change has been accomplished. Change has happened, but can we articulate the goal that lead to these changes? What goal should motivate the selection we perform ove the next 50 years? The temptation is to continue on perhaps the same path on before. Doing the same things better. We should avoid this. If Pollak were to define the goal for the beef industry's breeding objective it would be increase th...