PrimeTime_Fall_2018

BY JOE MASSEY, PH.D., CEO, DIGITALBEEF, LLC

Do We Have Useful and Meaningful Cattle Records and Data?

C ollecting cattle records, record keeping, data, reports, association genetic analy- sis – what does all this mean in today’s world? Being associated with cattle breed associa- tions for the better part of my adult life, I am amazed that we have been collecting data and creating large databases of information, but we have done little to help the cattle producer use this data. While we have been discussing ex- pected progeny differences (EPDs) or enhanced genomic EPDs for a while now, we are just starting to see producers use them. If you don’t know more about your herd’s performance, how exactly are you using EPDs? We should have so much more data, and yet we have ignored this information because it is difficult to collect, record and process in a meaningful way. I continue to be amazed that the majority of the data collected on cattle never gets entered into any management software. Why? Because it’s difficult to collect consistently from one ani- mal to the next and from one day to the next, not to mention the cost of collecting, entering and processing the data. What data we do col- lect ends up in association databases and is then sent off to a group of university professors to analyze. As producers, we often struggle to use the analytical values we get back from the universities and integrate them into our cattle management program. We, as a cattle industry, have stressed that we need data. Without it you cannot make prog- ress or know what you actually have or what decisions to make next. I know this firsthand because I have been collecting and analyzing cattle data most of my life, and it is just as time- consuming and difficult today as it was in the early ‘70s. The only difference today is that we have computers and spreadsheets to help with

the process, but you still have to enter the data and make decisions on what to do with it. Some of the good things about the last 40 years are that we have learned a lot about the national cattle herd and different breeds’ per- formance, and that data can be collected and adjusted all year long to make most of your data. That is not to say that good management practices and principles should not be followed. With the advent of cloud storage, it is now easy for any individual or group to access data. We have made significant progress in pro- ducing animal protein in this country in the last 40-50 years based on genetics and health. I now believe that information flow will en- hance and accelerate the process over the next 40 years. With a little coordination, coopera- tion and software development, we could track data from birth to harvest, and then return meaningful data to the producer so that he can maximize his breeding program to maximize revenue. To make this happen, the process needs to become seamless and completely automated. In the near future, I know this type of software and coordination will be available. No, it will not all happen at once, but it will occur rather quickly because technology companies and large agriculture-related companies are recog- nizing that we have the tools available to accel- erate the flow of data from the producer to the packer and back. What we should expect is that performance data can follow the animal throughout the development and growth phase. This should also include all relevant information like health records, and ownership transfer and location. We know that there are many factors that contribute to animal performance, and not all practices are equal. Continued page 54

Akaushi Prime Time • Fall 2018

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