The scenic route sounds nice but is better applied to road trips than breeding programs, say two Angus producers featured on the latest episode of The Angus Conversation.
Left: Ben Eggers, Sydenstricker Genetics; Right: Darin Meyer and sons, De-Su Angus
“A really good breeder told me about 30 years ago … part of this thing is getting there as fast as you can. He said, just as importantly, never back up. So, you know, try to balance risk and reward,” says Ben Eggers, who has spent four decades with Sydenstricker Genetics.
He and Darin Meyer, De-Su Angus, discussed how to make quicker genetic progress, how breeding and genomic technology can help and cautions along the way.
“I usually start out with an animal's worst two traits and mate off of that,” says Meyer, who brings experience with his commercial cow herd and Iowa dairy operation. “A cow is never as good as her best trait. She's only as good as her worst trait, because that kind of makes her faulter.”
Is there a perfect mix of embryo transfer (ET), artificial insemination (AI) and natural service? In the world of rapid generational turnover, how is longevity included in the mix?
“I wonder with the current scenario if we're going to prove these sires as well as we have been doing,” Eggers says.
Find out their thoughts on that and more by listening to “Eggers, Meyer: Making Progress, Carefully” anywhere you get podcasts, or by following this link: https://www.angusjournal.net/eggers-meyer-making-progress-carefully