In the third and final segment of our coverage from the NCBA national convention, the team previews the March issue of Progressive Cattle. Abby visits with Elanco's Wayne Ayers about improving conception rates with the proper vaccine strategy. Then Tyrell sits down with Mark McCully to discuss the American Angus Association's Industry Insights survey and what benefits that data can have for American producers. Finally, Carrie talks with veterinarian Brandon Treichler about developing a crisis management plan and how that can protect ranches and the people who make them so special.

Genomics has become one of the most powerful tools in the cattle industry over the last decade, but the technology is often misunderstood. The goal here is to help dispel some myths and confusion around the use of genomics.

The truth is simple. Genomic prediction works. However, it is not a magic bean.

Historically, the relative value of traits to the commercial cow-calf sector has been stated as the “10-to-2-to-1 rule of thumb,” where fertility traits are 10 times more important than carcass traits and five times more important than growth traits.

In the past, the process of acquiring a new herd bull likely included the scouring of a local newspaper, visiting a neighbor or attending a nearby auction sale. The bill of sale’s fine print may or may not have detailed the requirements and results of a semen test.

Progressive Cattle Editor Tyrell Marchant visits with Ken Odde from Kansas State University about his work on the newly formed Genetic Merit Pricing Task Force and how he thinks genetic data will impact how cattle are bought, sold and raised in the future. Then, Tyrell sits down with Justin Derner from USDA-ARS at the Range Beef Cow Symposium to discuss what producers can do to make sure their pasture is doing everything it can for their cattle, and vice versa.

“Genetic improvement” is a term with far-reaching implications, uniquely and individually defined by those in the beef industry.

“Big data,” a term that can be defined as enormous amounts and various types of data that can be used to analyze patterns, trends and associations, has allowed researchers to better understand how dairy cow health, growth and milk production have changed over time.

Using an EPD versus an animal’s phenotype is an ongoing debate among cattlemen. The question really boils down to whether the animal’s actual performance or the performance of its offspring is your primary interest.