Times change and man changes cattle to meet the times. As one era's ideal type succumbs to another there seems to be no permanency of type in stock breeding. While the basic fundamental job of the cow remains constant, to improve beef cow efficiency, the industry's search for the elusive optimum cow continues. There can be no single type for all regions, however, I believe that whatever type is preferred, that they be as pure or prepotent as we can possibly make them.
I have spent many years trying to ascertain what constitutes an ideal optimum beef cow based on economics. The real challenge then becomes one of developing genotypes through enough generations to fix the characteristics while improving the basic functional attributes. The ongoing challenge is to figure out better ways to transfer the characteristics INTACT directly to the commercial sector. To achieve this basic objective, we will continue to follow known genetic principles using the following procedures... click for next page
Times change and man changes cattle to meet the times. As one era's ideal type succumbs to another there seems to be no permanency of type in stock breeding. While the basic fundamental job of the cow remains constant, to improve beef cow efficiency, the industry's search for the elusive optimum cow continues. There can be no single type for all regions, however, I believe that whatever type is preferred, that they be as pure or prepotent as we can possibly make them.
I have spent many years trying to ascertain what constitutes an ideal optimum beef cow based on economics. The real challenge then becomes one of developing genotypes through enough generations to fix the characteristics while improving the basic functional attributes. The ongoing challenge is to figure out better ways to transfer the characteristics INTACT directly to the commercial sector. To achieve this basic objective, we will continue to follow known genetic principles to stabilize a type.
"The principles of the successful breeder have been exceedingly simple. He isolates and fixes a good type by careful selection and close breeding.....He brings inferior stock up by consistent use of prepotent sires of the SAME improved type. The difficulty lies not so much in knowing the principles as in applying them." Wrights Bulletin, 1920
Perhaps the difficulty lies in man's persistant habit of trying to make his best, RATHER THAN THE REST, even better!!
And in this process of contiual change likely does neither !
