The second annual Manitoba Beef and Forage Conference was held on Oct. 31, 2024, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Producers heard from industry experts about applying current research to their own operations. Of the various topics shared, here are three top takeaways.

Tyrell visits with Mark Thallman from the USDA's Meat Animal Research Center about the merits and drawbacks of implementing terminal crossbreeding systems. Then, the Noble Research Institute's Josh Gaskamp joins Carrie to chat about how educational opportunities for producers to better their land for long-term profitability. Finally, join the gang as they discuss the joys of county fair season, weigh in on what tattoo Paul should get (and where), and debate the viewing value of various Olympic sports.

When selecting a bull, you want a bull who will add value to your operation, but the bull and his progeny must also be able to survive and thrive in the environment within your fences. So how do you choose the right bull?

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.

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.

Maternal traits have been the core consideration for cow-calf producers when making breeding decisions and for good reason. The cow is the engine of productivity at the producer level.

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

Known as the “six essentials,” selection for these traits can improve profitability of any herd, of any breed, in any location: disposition, fertility, weight, conformation, hardiness and milk production.

Efficiency of production, quality of product and sustainability are the intuitive goals of the cattle industry. Producers and consumers alike are interested in the economy of scale and acceptance of beef.