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Nearly 200 producers, veterinarians,
researchers, artificial insemination technicians and Extension
specialists met in Fort Collins, Colo., Dec. 2-3 to discuss ways
to control and improve reproductive success in beef cattle.
Presentations at the “Robert E. Taylor Memorial Symposium:
Applied Reproductive Strategies in Beef Cattle” ranged from
improving pregnancy rates in natural-service programs to
opportunities for using DNA technology to improve reproductive
efficiency. Tuesday
morning workshops were designed to improve understanding of the
physiological processes of the estrous cycle, currently
available procedures to synchronize estrus and ovulation, and
the proper application of these systems. Tuesday afternoon’s
presenters explored the role of management and nutrition on
reproductive rates.
Highlighting Tuesday’s sessions
were a keynote address by Ivan Rush, professor emeritus with the
University of Nebraska, discussing why commercial cattlemen have
been slow to adopt AI as a management tool and a producer panel
describing the benefits and limitations of AI in three
real-world settings.
Presenters Wednesday addressed
male fertility, procedural and health-related factors affecting
reproductive rates, as well as the value of using improved
genetics and a futuristic look at potential advancements in
assessing reproductive traits in beef cattle.
Visit the symposium newsroom at
www.AppliedReproStrategies.com for summaries of the
presentations, along with accompanying PowerPoint and audio
files.
The symposium is co-sponsored by
Colorado State University and the Beef Reproduction Task Force,
which is comprised of Extension animal scientists from Kansas
State University, the University of Nebraska, South Dakota State
University, Iowa State University, the University of Idaho, the
University of Illinois, the University of Florida and the
University of Missouri with support from several industry
sponsors.
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