Value added to the beef cattle chain through genetic management

Abstract

The beef cattle industry has a substantial impact on the United States economy. Genetic management is becoming a part of the total farm management plan. The objective of this study is to determine whether or not the process of managing genetics has a positive impact on the quality of beef carcasses. This study focuses on female genetics, which is different from most previous research. It was found that managing female genetics does increase the likelihood of having a carcass with a quality grade of Prime, but may not affect the likelihoods of a Choice or Select. Genetic management does not seem to have any impact on what type of yield grade a carcass will receive. The next step for the producer is to look at the management costs involved and decide if the value outweighs the cost.