Newsroom

53rd Annual BIF Research Symposium and Convention

June 22-25, 2021 • Iowa Events Center, Des Moines, Iowa

General News | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Awards

General News

• Retallick-Riley Named AGI President

• BIF Selects New Board, Officers

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Young Producer Symposium: Profitability in Balance
Managing for Profitability — John Locke, Ranching for Profit instructor and J.D. Hudgins Inc. manager

1. Summary | Webinar

Building a Brand — Rachel Cutrer, Ranch House Designs owner

1. Summary | Webinar

Breeding for Profitability: Keeping Balance for the Long Haul — Producer panel including Steve Radakovich, Bart Jones and Mary Ann Kniebel. Moderated by Brian McCulloh

1. Summary | Webinar

National Association of Animal Breeders Symposium: Beef on Dairy — What’s Going On and Why?

1.    • The changing AI landscape: Don Trimmer, Alta Genetics

1.             Summary | Webinar

1.    • Using beef genetics in a modern dairy: Lynn Boadwine, Boadwine Farms Inc.

1.             Summary | Webinar

1.    • The benefits of beef on dairy: Randall Grimmius, Grimmius Cattle Co.

1.             Summary | Webinar

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

General Session 1: The Beef Industry: Where’s it Going?
Opening Comments and Welcome — John Lawrence, Iowa State University vice president for extension and outreach

1. Summary | Webinar

Meat Consumer Purchasing Trends & Expectations — Michael Uetz, Midan Marketing managing principal

1. Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

Lessons From Other Industries in Genetics — Jim Pillen, Pillen Family Farms owner

1. Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

We Can Sell More Beef — Dan Thomson, Iowa State University Department of Animal Science chair

1. Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

What I Heard and panel discussion with morning speakers — Troy Marshall, American Angus Association director of commercial industry relations

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in Genomics and Genetic Prediction
Chairman: Mark Thallman, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Neb.

Genomic Dissection and Prediction of Bull Fertility — Francisco Peñagaricano, University of Wisconsin assistant professor in quantitative genetics

1. Summary | Webinar

Proposed Guideline Revisions for Contemporary Groups — Mark Thallman, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center research geneticist, and Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor and beef genetics specialist

1. Summary | Webinar

Low-pass Sequencing Reveals Functional Genomics Affecting Cow Weight and Productivity — Warren Snelling, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center research geneticist

1. Summary | Webinar

Developments in Research and Implementation Supporting Genomic Prediction for Australian Beef Cattle — David Johnston, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia, principal scientist, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in Producer Applications
Chairman: Darrh Bullock, University of Kentucky Extension professor

Understanding the Value of Accuracy — Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor and beef genetics specialist

1. Summary #1 | Summary #2 | Webinar

Milk: Benefit or Burden — Ben Crites, University of Kentucky graduate research assistant

1. Summary | Webinar

Selecting for Dollars: Putting Selection Indices to Work — Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee assistant professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Target Selection to Meet Consumer Demands — Jennifer Bormann, Kansas State University professor of beef breeding and genetics

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in Efficiency and Adaptability
Chairman: Mark Enns, Colorado State University

Calving Ease Cows: Optimal or Extreme? — Gary Bennett, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center supervisory research geneticist

1. Summary | Webinar

An Introduction to the ARS Beef Grand Challenge Project — Larry Kuehn, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center research geneticist

1. Summary | Webinar

A Piece of the Adaptability Puzzle: Multi-breed Hair-shedding Genetic Effects and EPDs — Jared Decker, University of Missouri associate professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Sire Differences Within Heart and Heart Fat Score in Beef Cattle — Isabella Kukor, Colorado State University

1. Summary | Webinar

Thursday, June 24, 2021

General Session 2: Precision Livestock Technology
Gene Editing Today and in the Future — Alison Van Eenennaam, University of California–Davis Animal Genomics and Biotechnology

1. Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

The Role of Technology in the Beef Industry — Justin Sexten, Precision Livestock Analytics vice president of strategy

1.             Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

Applying Precision Technologies Panel — moderated by Justin Sexten

1.    • Early implications of intelligent intake management on selection — Pat Wall, Iowa State University extension specialist; Our experience with behavior-monitoring ear tags — Reiss Bruning, Bruning Farms; Our experience with virtual fencing systems — Cody Jorgensen, Jorgensen Land and Livestock

1.             Summary | Webinar

What I Heard — Scott Greiner, Virginia Tech University Extension beef and sheep specialist

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in Emerging Technology
Chairman: Megan Rolf, Kansas State University, associate professor

Multi-breed Genetic Evaluation: How Does It Work for Seedstock and Commercial Cattle? — Randie Culbertson, American Simmental Association lead geneticist

1. Summary | Webinar

Gene-Edited Food Animals: The Path from Proof of Concept to Commercial Use — Tad Sonstegard, Acceligen, chief executive and scientific officer

1. Summary | Webinar

Use of Advanced Reproductive Technologies and Inclusion of These Records in Genetic Evaluation — Mark Thallman and Alexandria Snider, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center research geneticists

1. Summary | Proceedings | Webinar

Practical Examples of Machine Learning in Animal Breeding — Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in End Product Improvement
Chairman: Tommy Perkins, West Texas A&M University associate professor

Ultrasound Guidelines Council Update — Patrick Wall, Ultrasound Guidelines Council executive director

1. Summary | Webinar

Impact of Ultrasound, Carcass and Genomic Data on Body Composition Expected Progeny Differences — Kelli Retallick, Angus Genetics Inc. president

1. Summary | Webinar

Use of New Generation Ultrasound Equipment to Collect Carcass Data — Tommy Perkins, West Texas A&M University associate professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Genomics Use in Improving Meat Quality in Cattle — Raluca Mateescu, University of Florida professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Technical Breakout Session: Advancements in Selection Decisions
Chairman: Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor

An Update on and Demonstration of iGenDec — Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Examining the impact of situational indexes on selection decisions — Bruce Golden, Theta Solutions LLC partner

1. Summary | Webinar

An Overview of Economic Selection Indexes Offered by American Breeds — Kari White, Neogen

1. Summary | Webinar

Using Beef on Dairy Data to Increase the Accuracy of Selection Decisions for Carcass Traits — Bob Weaber, Kansas State University professor

1. Summary | Webinar

Friday, June 25, 2021 — BIF Tours

2021 BIF Tours

1. Eastern Iowa
   1. Eastern Tour photos by Andre Garcia
2. Western Iowa
   
   1. Lauritsen Cattle Co., Extra, Iowa / photos by Amanda Alvarenga
   2. Wiese and Sons Herefords, Manning, Iowa / photos by Amanda Alvarenga
   3. Wiese and Sons Herefords, Manning, Iowa / photos by Carson Gilleland
   4. Wilkerson Farms, Linden, Iowa / Carson Gilleland