Beef Genetic Survey

Mar 07, 2014

By Warren Rusche

Numerous technologies are available to make effective genetic changes in beef cattle. Selection programs need to be balanced based on sound economics. However, setting production goals are critical to identifying the appropriate direction associated with beef cattle breeding and genetics.

Specialized marketing programs are requiring producers to develop strategies to meet the market demands, which utilize the base cowherd to successfully produce a desirable end product. The South Dakota cowherd varies across the state. However, the goal is typically the same “producing a calf with optimal market value”.

There has been an explosion of technologies which have become available in recent years to assist producers in making more informed genetic selection decisions. EPDs, selection indexes, and genomic markers are just some of the latest tools in the toolbox, with more on the horizon. But given the tremendous amount of information now available, applying these tools to make the best selection decisions can be a daunting task.

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Video: Validating Net Energy in Commercial Swine Systems - Gustavo Lima

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Gustavo Lima, PhD candidate at Iowa State University, explains how soybean meal net energy is evaluated using growth assays and calorimetry. He discusses caloric efficiency, validation under commercial conditions, and differences between controlled and real-world environments. Gustavo also highlights practical implications for diet formulation and ingredient valuation. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Indirect calorimetry provides a precise estimation of ingredient energy, yet validation under production conditions remains essential for accurate application in real systems.”

Meet the guest: Gustavo Lima / gustavo-lima-a9867127 is a PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University, specializing in swine nutrition, ingredient evaluation, and energy metabolism. With over 15 years of experience across Latin America, his work focuses on soybean meal utilization, caloric efficiency, and applied research for commercial production systems.