At Cattlemen’s Conference Part Two: Blueprint for the Future, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, had the chance to catch up with the Executive Vice President of the American Hereford Association, Jack Ward, and talk about new technologies in the beef industry discussed at this year’s conference.
At last year’s conference, Ward said as he wrapped up discussions on the last day, he felt there was more to cover, hence the need for a part two.
“Last year we heard from some of the presenters about how we have turned the corner in terms of demand for beef and high-quality beef,” Ward said. “It is a more consistent product than what we did. We increased per capita consumption, we heard a lot about consumer preferences, we heard a lot from presenters in terms of the value of soil health and trying to work your way through that.”
Comparing this conference to last year’s there is a larger focus on regenerative ranching, heterosis, and gene editing. In his role working within a breed association, Ward said when it comes to new technologies, one thing to consider is what will be accepted by breed associations in years to come.
Ward added that it is also critical to keep in mind what the consumer will prefer when adopting new technologies. Still to come, speakers at the conference will be discussing different technologies like embryo transfer, cloning, and more.
“This is just the next step,” Ward said. “Will it be a tool we can look at and utilize for genetics improvement, maybe feedlot health, cattle health, animal welfare issues, or anything associated with the business that is going to make us more efficient? I am excited about it, and it is a dynamic set of folks to present and share some knowledge with us.”
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