Sitting in his home office sipping a cup of coffee, Paul Larmer is seemingly common. Unbeknownst to the average person, his influence on the dairy cattle genetics sector of the industry is undeniable. It is for both his remarkable leadership and self-effacing attitude that Larmer is named this year’s World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year.

Many beef producers use a bull to make sure calves are hitting the ground. However, artificial insemination is a viable option for farmers and ranchers.

“Male sexed semen is an opportunity to capture value,” said Kansas State University's Ken Odde, who also helps manage a family cow-calf ranch in South Dakota. “The opportunity’s greater when the price spread between steers and heifers is significant.”

Advancements in artificial insemination (A.I.) for beef cattle have come a long way in the past few decades. One reproductive technology with the potential to improve management and bottom lines even further for producers is sexed semen.

Mostly known for its use in reproductive work – confirming pregnancy, looking at fetal gender, fetal age and ovaries – ultrasound technology has many uses in the beef industry.