DNA Seminar Set June 26 at Meat Animal Research Center

June 5, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. — A meeting June 26 at the Meat Animal Research Center at Clay Center will focus on DNA technology's status and future in relation to the genetic improvement of beef cattle.

The meeting is titled "DNA Technology: Where We've Been, Where We Are and Where We're Headed" and is targeted toward beef cattle producers and extension personnel.

This is a constantly evolving technology. Participants will learn about genomic tools as they relate to making selection decisions in beef cattle and the changes in application and research discoveries over the past 12 months.  The meeting will also focus on the topic of efficiency and early results from a USDA funded project aimed at discovery and deployment of genomic tools for feed efficiency in beef cattle, said Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension beef genetics specialist. 

The meeting will begin with lunch at 11:30 and continue through the afternoon with the following topics:

– Current State of Integrating Genomics into National Cattle Evaluation – Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

– New Genotyping Platforms – Elisa Marques, GeneSeek a Neogen Company

– What do we hope to learn from sequence information? Larry Kuehn and Warren Snelling, US Meat Animal Research Center

– Genomics of Bovine Respiratory Disease: An Update – Alison Van Eenennaam, UC Davis

– Life-cycle analysis of beef production – Kim Stackhouse, National Cattlemen's Beef Association

– Improving beef system efficiency: A genetics perspective – Bob Weaber, Kansas State University

– Genomic Predictors of Feed Efficiency – Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The meeting will end at 5 p.m. Register by June 17 with Terri Behl, 402-472-6441, tbehl1@unl.edu. Cost is $10 which covers lunch and handouts. This meeting is supported by USDA-NIFA-AFRI integrated project, focused on a National Program for the Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle.