Seedstock

How Beef and Dairy Genetics Are Smarter and More Profitable

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 17:12:49 GMT

Understanding your customer’s needs, the power of data and the need for continuous innovation is key to the success of beef and dairy producers. Lorna Marshall, Select Sires vice president of beef genetics, emphasizes the critical role of technology, data and strategic breeding in creating value in the industry today.

Marshall was the featured guest in “ The Future of Beef Show ” podcast Episode 13 .

Her perspective highlights the beef industry’s evolution from traditional breeding methods to a more sophisticated, technology-driven approach.

Marshall’s journey in the artificial insemination (AI) industry spans decades. She explains the AI industry has seen significant consolidation during her career — from 15 cooperatives to now three to four major organizations. She says Select Sires remains the only cooperative AI organization in the U.S.

“Whatever I see happen in the dairy world, beef is going to follow it in five to seven years,” she explains.

Key takeaways from the podcast include:

1. Beef-on-Dairy Evolution: The beef on dairy market has transformed dramatically since 2018, creating more valuable cattle by crossing beef bulls with dairy cows.

She says AI companies are focusing on terminal traits for beef-on-dairy, creating bulls specifically designed for producing high-value feeder cattle.

The biggest challenge in the beef-on-dairy space is semen fertility. Marshall acknowledges male-sexed semen would be a good option for beef-on-dairy, but the conception level is not where it needs to be today.

“Fertility is three times more important than any other trait,” Marshall explains about working with dairy producers. “Sexed semen, while we have really improved that product a lot, it still does not have the same level of fertility and conception rate.”

She adds management and cow fertility play a role in the success of sexed semen conception so it is something that can be considered herd by herd, not something implemented across the entire dairy population.

“If I could figure out how to improve bull fertility,” she says. “That would be the No. 1 thing I could do to improve business for Select Sires, or really, any AI organization.”

Fertility is not highly heritable, and there can easily be a 20-percentage-point difference between high and low bulls.

“The thing I love most about beef-on-dairy is, I love data, and I, finally, for the first time in my career, have data to play with,” Marshall says.

2. Genomic Testing: There’s a growing potential for genomic testing in beef cattle, similar to what’s been done in the dairy industry, to improve genetic selection and herd performance.

“If I was a commercial beef producer, I’d be wanting to test my commercial females and figure out who are really the elite ones,” she explains. “And then let’s go build our replacement heifers out of those.”

3. Breed and Genetic Trends: Genetic selection is becoming increasingly precise and data driven. The future of beef genetics lies in comprehensive trait measurement and genomic understanding.

She also emphasizes the beef industry’s evolution from single-trait selection to a more comprehensive strategy.

“There is always a pendulum changing or swinging,” Marshall says. “You’re always going to have people that are more willing to go out on those pendulums farther than others. And that’s what I love about our commercial industry, they always kind of keep the seedstock industry a little bit grounded.”

She explains at Select Sires they strive to provide the customer what they really want.

“We need some of those extremes, honestly, to kind of move the industry forward in different areas,” she says. “Look what we’ve done on traits like marbling. We’ve totally changed the beef demand dynamic, because we’ve created a more palatable product that our consumers really like.”

Comparing the seedstock and commercial beef industries, she says seedstock producers generally select for extreme in traits trying to be breed leading.

“Our commercial customers have almost always selected more for balance,” she summarizes. “But really the secret sauce to getting bulls that are going to sell lots of semen would combine phenotype and genotype, and then their pedigree is always important.”

Marshall predicts the industry will continue to develop new traits that we don’t measure today.

“We may get rid of some of the traits that we have and measure things in a much more profitable way, like age to harvest,” she adds.

She also emphasizes the need for bulls that will produce the next generation of the nation’s cow herd.

“We better have some maternal bulls in our lineup, because beef producers are ready to start rebuilding the cow herd,” Marshall says.

4. Labor Barrier for AI : The labor needed for synchronization is a critical challenge in AI adoption.

Marshall identifies labor as the primary barrier to increasing AI adoption.

“Until we figure out how to synchronize that cow with less labor, it’s going to be really hard to move the needle in a significant way,” she says.

Marshall summarizes the future of the beef industry relies on these four strategies:

- Embracing technological innovation
- Maintaining genetic diversity
- Focusing on commercial producer needs
- Continuous learning and adaptation

Check out the podcast to learn more about how Marshall believes how data, genetics and innovation is shaping the future of beef cattle production.

Be Aware: Dangerous Asian Longhorned Tick Continues Migrating West

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:42:45 GMT

The Asian Longhorned Tick (ALHT) poses a serious threat to cattle health. ALHTs carry Theileria, which is a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells. It can lead to anemia and, in some cases, death.

ALHTs are native to eastern Asia, eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea but were introduced to Australia, New Zealand and western Pacific Islands. In other countries, it can also be called a bush tick, cattle tick or scrub tick.

In the U.S., ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois , Michigan and Iowa .

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ALHTs are known to carry pathogens, which can cause disease and may also cause distress to the host from their feeding in large numbers. For example, a dairy cow may have a 25% decrease in milk production after becoming a host.

A female can reproduce without a mate and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. This can cause great stress on a heavily infested animal and result in reduced growth and production. A severe infestation can kill the animal from excessive blood loss.

Asian longhorned tick life stages and relative actual size.

(Photos of unfed ticks by Centers for Disease Control. Photos of engorged ticks by Jim Occi, Rutgers, Center for Vector Biology.)

What does it look like?

Unfed ALHTs range from a light reddish-tan to a dark red with brown, dark markings. While the adult female grows to the size of a pea when full of blood, other stages of the tick are very small — about the size of a sesame seed.

Adult females are a grey-green with yellowish markings. Male ticks are rare.

APHIS reports it only takes a single tick to create a population in a new location.

The above photos are of a AHLT engorged (on the left) and an adult AHLT not engorged.

(New Jersey Department of Agriculture)

ALHTs need warm-blooded hosts to feed and survive. They have been found on various species of domestic animals — such as sheep, goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and chickens — and wildlife. The tick has also been found on people.

What are the health risks?

APHIS says ALHTs are not known to carry Lyme disease, but they can cause tickborne diseases affecting humans and animals such as:

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Heartland virus
Powassan virus

APHIS says those diseases have not been confirmed outside of a laboratory setting in the U.S. In addition, U.S. ALHT populations can transmit U.S. Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain (Cattle theileriosis) in the laboratory.

In an Iowa State University release , Grant Dewell, Extension beef veterinarian and associate professor, says cattle affected by Theileriosis will show signs of lethargy, anemia and difficulty breathing. They may develop ventral edema, exercise intolerance, jaundice and abortions.

“Although signs of Theileriosis are similar to anaplasmosis, younger animals and calves often display more severe signs compared to mature cows and bulls,” he says. “Due to anemia from both tick infestation and Theileria, the risk of death can be elevated. If cattle producers suspect either Theileria or ALHT, have a veterinarian collect appropriate samples and submit them to a veterinary diagnostic lab.”

According to an Oklahoma State University press release , under laboratory conditions ALHT is a competent vector of numerous pathogens that can cause disease in humans, including Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), Heartland Virus and Powassan Virus.

In “ Clinical Infectious Diseases, ” Bobbi Pritt, MD, MSC, with the division of clinical microbiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported a human bite that occurred in New York in 2019. She says though the report of a human bite isn’t surprising, it proves the invasive longhorned tick continues to bite hosts in its newest location.

“This is extremely worrisome for several reasons,” she writes. “One reason is Asian longhorned ticks can carry several important human pathogens, including the potentially fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus and Rickettsia japonica, which cases Japanese spotted fever. While these pathogens have yet to be found in the United States, there is a risk of their future introduction.”

Also, Pritt says several other human pathogens have been detected in the ticks, but it’s not clear if the ALHT species are able to transmit them to humans. They include Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Borrelia species. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

She warns the organisms are present in states where ALHTs have been found and that it’s possible the tick — known to be an aggressive biter— might be able to transmit Heartland virus given its close relationship to SFTS virus.

How to Tackle Ticks

According to APHIS, various strategies effectively mitigate tick populations on hosts and in the environment.

Regular tick treatments should be effective against ALHTs. Consult your veterinarian or agriculture extension agent about which products to use.
Check your livestock for ticks regularly.
Safely remove ticks from people and pets as quickly as possible. If you think you’ve found an ALHT, seal it in a zip-top bag and give it to your veterinarian for identification.
Habitat modifications can help prevent ticks on feedlots and pastures. This may include mowing grass, removing trees, reducing shade by thinning trees, understory removal and placing mulch barriers.
Apply acaricide using label instructions to tick habitats, such as woodland edges and grassy patches, during times when ticks are most actively seeking hosts. Although it varies by year, ALHTs are generally active from March to November. Consult your state and local regulations for approved acaricides.

“Cattle producers should aggressively control external parasites this summer,” Dewell summarizes. “Insecticide ear tags alone are not enough to control ticks. Consider incorporating a back rubber or regularly applying a pour-on during the summer. Pyrethroid-based products are also available that include a tick control label. If an increase in tick infestations is observed, an avermectin pour-on may be the best intervention.”

Your Next Read: 1,500-lb. Carcasses the New Normal, Not the Exception

AVMA Dehorning Video

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:32:45 GMT

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has released a new video promoting its policy on how to reduce pain for cattle during a common surgical procedure—dehorning.

Many breeds of cattle have horns, which are often removed early in life to protect other animals and farmers from injury. The AVMA policy and this informational video offer guidance to help make this procedure as comfortable as possible for animals.

“The AVMA provides up-to-date and accurate information about ensuring good animal welfare. Videos like this one help us get that information to more people,” explains Dr. Cia Johnson of the AVMA Animal Welfare Division, who appears in the video. “America has more than 96 million head of cattle, so—although not widely known—this is a common procedure. The AVMA Animal Welfare Committee uses the latest scientific research available and practical experience to recommend policy for the Association. Research has shown that local anesthesia can be used to reduce the pain experienced by animals during dehorning.”

AVMA policy recommends that, to reduce discomfort for the animal, dehorning be done at the earliest age possible and that consideration be given to the use of local anesthetics (e.g., lidocaine) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents for pain control.

The new video demonstrates the use of local anesthetic and disbudding (a dehorning technique applied to young calves), and helps educate farmers and the general public about how pain management can improve an animals’ welfare.

For more information, please visit www.avma.org .

Stabilizing Jersey Calf Prices for Beef Markets with Crossbreeding

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:53:33 GMT

Dairy bull calves can sometimes be one of the biggest profit losers on a farm if retained for too long. It becomes even more burdensome when looking at Jersey bull calves that have been difficult to market to beef cattle raisers. To help address the issues a Texas Jersey dairy and a Colorado beef breeder have partnered up to create calves that work in the feedlot and on consumers’ plates.

Sieto Mellema already had experience raising commercial and registered beef cows for several years before starting Full Circle Jersey in 2007 outside Dallhart, Texas. For a few years Mellema bred all of his Jerseys back to dairy semen on the 3,500 head dairy.

Then in 2014, Mellema looked into changing up his breeding program and adding beef genetics to the mix.

“The way we got started is because Jersey bull calves weren’t worth anything,” Mellema says. His goal was to “make something out of nothing” referencing the price commanded by Jersey bull calves.

The year prior in 2013, Mellema started using a composite breed called Stabilizer in his beef cow herd and became a cooperator herd for Leachman Cattle of Colorado, owned and operated by Lee Leachman.

Mellema called Leachman one day to let him know he was going to artificially inseminate some Jersey cows with beef semen and that he’d like to buy a bull for collection.

“I said ‘I’ll do you one better, let me send you semen so we can progeny test bulls.’ So we started doing that together,” Leachman says.

Since 1990, Mellema was already using Leachman genetics in his commercial beef herd and was retaining ownership on calves, so he knew the return he could get on his investment.

At first Mellema didn’t have a goal of the end product for the Jersey-beef cross. His objective was originally to market calves at a weaned weight of 400 lb. or more.

“I couldn’t get them sold economically well enough,” Mellema says because feedlots were leery of the “compensatory gain of a dairy calf.”

This led Mellema to retaining ownership on the calves feeding at feedlots in Texas and Nebraska to then market on a carcass basis using the meat packers’ grid formula. About half of the calves have gone through Cargill packing plants, while the others have gone to National Beef and Tyson Foods. “If you’ve got any kind of quality in them, to put the cattle on the grid is a no brainer,” Mellama relates.

Brandon Beavers, who manages the beef operation at Full Circle Jersey, believes the Jersey-cross calves can outperform most conventionally breed beef cattle when it comes to carcass quality.

“We feel like we have added value to a product that can be improved upon. We’ve got a lot of data that shows with the right genetics and feeding program that the dairy-beef crossbreeds can perform with the quality, and provide consistent product that is desirable for the consumer,” Beavers says.

The dairy-beef breeding program has been going on for nearly five years and the results have been promising. Through the breeding program Leachman and Mellema have been able to test 57 sires and have carcass data from more than 2,500 cattle.

The program has not only helped Mellema improve the returns on his Jersey-cross bull calves, it has also aided Leachman in producing better bulls. Thanks to the progeny testing Leachman has received data on calving ease, growth, feed conversion and carcass merit. This has helped Leachman prove the Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) on calves sired through the breeding program, something that can be more difficult to do using commercial beef herds.

“Even though we’re crossing on Jersey cows the differences we saw in beef cattle translate, so that is cool,” Leachman says.

Mellema adds that it has been interesting have all the different data from the program and it has helped drive decision making.

During the time of this breeding program seven beef breeds have been crossed with Jerseys, including Angus, Limousin, Simmental, Red Angus and Stabilizer bulls.

Mellema and Beavers have observed that in the grand scheme the choice of breed hasn’t mattered as much as the individual bull.

“For the most part it isn’t breed specific as much as individual characteristics. If you get the right bulls then various breeds will work,” Beavers adds.

“We can predict outcomes,” Mellema says after breeding with various bulls. With more data on the individual bull there is a better idea of the feed efficiency and carcass quality and yield that can be obtained.

Leachman echoes those thoughts, “We’re starting to zero in on where the money is made in that process. In other words, what beef genetics complement a Jersey? What beef genetics complement a Holstein? What about a half Holstein-Jersey? We’re starting to think about selecting beef genetics specifically for those purposes.”

From the dairy-beef project Leachman has showed that the calves crossed with Stabilizer bulls have netted the best results (see chart). In a comparison of 200 Leachman Stabilizer sired calves versus 1,599 other beef sired calves there proved to be an advantage for the composite breed by $57.38 per Jersey-Stabilizer calf.

Source: Leachman Cattle of Colorado

There are inherent problems that come with raising dairy-beef crosses. “One of the issues with dairy is the bull calves that are born aren’t as efficient as a beef breed,” Beavers says.

However, with breeding programs like Leachman and Mellema have been doing there could be improvements in the future.

“I think you’re going to see more focus in the dairy industry on their feed efficiency function,” Leachman believes.

Something that Beavers thinks could be an advantage for Jersey-cross calves is the increasing carcass size of beef cattle. A Jersey-cross calf sired by a beef bull wouldn’t have the large ribeye area of a beef calf. With increasing ribeye area it means cuts have to be cut thinner, so the beef can be more difficult to cook optimally. This would aid in reducing beef cut size which has been a complaint of some consumers and restaurants.

“It seems like the consumers are looking for a more petite steak, a smaller cut,” Beavers says. “We feel like we can add value and excel in quality.”

New Real-Time Test for the Detection of Trich in Bulls

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:50:05 GMT

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced the availability of the only USDA-licensed, real-time PCR test to detect Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) – a sexually transmitted disease in cattle that leads to early embryonic losses and infertility, resulting in significant economic impact to the cattle industry due to open (non-pregnant) and late-calving cows.

The VetMAX-Gold Trich Detection Kit provides veterinary diagnostic laboratories with a test that provides highly sensitive and specific results through real-time PCR amplification of T. foetus DNA. Accurate testing to identify positive bulls is the only way to prevent the spread of Trichomoniasis disease prior to cows being exposed to bulls. Infected bulls do not show any outward signs of infection.

“USDA licensing ensures increased confidence in accurate testing results that are critical for the cattle industry to effectively manage bovine Trichomoniasis,” said Kirk Adams, Animal Health Global Product Management Leader, Life Technologies. “Validating the sensitivity and specificity of this diagnostic test through the USDA approval process shows Life’s commitment to offer quality products and invest in the research needed to secure this license.”

The approval of the VetMAX-Gold Trich Detection Kit is based on the successful completion of the USDA’s stringent review process to ensure effectiveness of the real-time PCR test, manufactured in our USDA licensed and inspected production facility. Veterinary diagnosticians have historically relied on Life Technologies’ molecular reagents and instrumentation to detect and control animal diseases. However, the USDA-licensed product now provides them with a federally approved diagnostic test for Trichomoniasis containing all the necessary reagents and controls in a single detection kit.

An alternative to the culture testing method, real-time PCR diagnostic methodology results in a more convenient and accurate test from one sample run in comparison to three culture tests spanning a three-week period. Additionally, because of the sensitivity of real-time PCR, samples can be pooled for greater test cost efficiencies. The VetMAX-Gold Trich Detection Kit is licensed with a USDA label claim for pooling up to five samples.

“Life Technologies is committed to the animal health industry by providing next generation molecular tools that help veterinary laboratory diagnosticians more accurately test for diseases of economic impact,” said Adams. “Real-time PCR has the potential to become a new standard for T. foetus testing and will help multiple states find common ground for the harmonization of using the best diagnostic technology solution to manage Trichomoniasis within and between states.”

Trusteed IRAs: why they are popular, who should consider them, what benefits they offer

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 20:01:45 GMT

Q: I’ve heard a lot about trusteed IRAs. How do they differ from traditional IRAs?

A: Simply put, trusteed IRAs offer potential tax benefits of traditional or Roth IRAs with the protection and control of a trust. They provide tax advantages that stretch into the future and offer the ability to control how, when and in what amounts assets are distributed. Trusteed IRAs have become more popular given some of the inherent limits of traditional IRAs and the growing prevalence of self-directed retirement accounts combined with the decline of pension plans. They also are more cost-effective than setting up a trust and are generally more compliant with tax laws.

Q: Who should consider a trusteed IRA?

A: There are several reasons why someone should consider a trusteed IRA, the most consequential of which is if an owner has an interest in controlling assets and realizing tax benefits beyond their lifetime. This can mean an owner is concerned with the financial discipline or sophistication of heirs.

Other reasons include if an owner remarries and wants to provide for a current spouse as well as children from a previous relationship and/or is concerned about IRA management in the event of incapacitation.

Q: I’m in the middle of estate planning. How can a trusteed IRA help with the process?

A: They can help process if only to preserve the potential tax-advantaged accumulation of IRA benefits to pass on to heirs. Under traditional or custodial IRAs, a beneficiary is required to withdraw at least the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) each year. However, a beneficiary may withdraw additional amounts, for any reason, at any time—and incur possible fees or tax penalties.

Additionally, owners can restrict payouts to a beneficiary to the RMD, enabling it to operate as a spendthrift trust. At the owner’s death, the trusteed IRA would be automatically split into separate accounts for individual beneficiaries, with distribution terms defined for each account.

Another benefit is that estate plans don’t need to be rewritten or updated; trusteed IRAs can be added independent of an estate plan to protect IRA assets which legally pass outside of wills.

Q: Is a trusteed IRA better suited to farmers or owners of farm assets?

A: Not expressly, but a trusteed IRA can play an important role in legacy planning and preservation of farm assets over multiple generations. Given the growing generation gap among farming families, trusteed IRAs could be a way help preserve farm family values over generations from beyond the grave. Moreover, as farm economics continues to change, farmers may find value in the highly customizable nature of trusteed IRAs. In the event of a divorce in the family, for example, assets can be made to not leave the family’s bloodlines.

Q: Are there any downsides to trusteed IRAs?

A: Given that a trusteed IRA requires a corporate trustee, it’s harder to change ownership and family members cannot be named as trustees. Not all financial institutions offer trusteed IRAs so they may not be widely available to interested clients. Additionally, while they offer greater customization and more control, trusteed IRAs carry some limits. To have the highest level of customization and control, a trust would need to be created.

Please send questions, comments or requests to address a topic or issue to Rees Mason at rees.mason@ml.com.