Strategies for Beef Improvement
2013 BIF symposium focuses on breeding strategies, cow herd efficiency.
Nearly 500 cattlemen, academia and industry representatives gathered at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 12-15 for the 45th Annual BIF Research Symposium and Convention. Oklahoma State University (OSU), in collaboration with the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) hosted the event, which was themed “Where Profit and Progress Intersect.”
This year’s program brought together industry professionals, producers and researchers to discuss current issues facing the beef industry. Among those issues, speakers discussed using crossbreeding and straight-breeding as strategies for commercial cattlemen. They also discussed genetic tools to address environmental challenges and cow herd efficiency.
Special features of the event included an Oklahoma welcome reception, an opening symposium hosted by the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB), and a night out at the National Western Heritage Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Participants who stayed for Saturday had the option to attend a northern tour featuring the Oklahoma State Food & Agriculture Products Center and Oklahoma State Willard Sparks Beef Research Center, both at Stillwater; M&M Charolais, Perry; Pollard Angus, Enid; and Chain Ranch, Canton. Others attended the southern tour, which visited the historic Oklahoma City Stockyards; Raber’s Saddlery, Colgate; the Noble Foundation, Ardmore; and Stuart Ranch, Waurika.
The Angus Journal editorial team coordinates an online event coverage site for the BIF Symposium. www.BIFconference.com is sponsored by LiveAuctions.tv, which provided live streaming video of the meeting, as well as video and audio for archiving. Visit the site’s Newsroom for summaries, PowerPoint presentations, proceedings papers, audio and additional references provided by speakers. Visit the Awards page for announcements and photos of winners of awards and scholarships presented during the event. The Photos page features photo galleries from the meeting and post-symposium tours.
For more information about the event, contact Megan Rolf at 201h Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078; 405-744-9292; mrolf@okstate.edu; or Joe Cassady, BIF executive director at North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7621, Raleigh, NC 27695; or jpcassad@gmail.com.
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