For centuries farmers have been breeding livestock in order to produce higher quality results. While this can be as simple as pairing the best bull with the best heifer, true livestock breeders implement scientific principles such as genetics, reproductive physiology and statistics to obtain the higher quality down to a molecular level.

It does no good, however, for farm animal breeders to guess at these scientific principles. To truly gain the desired results, many farmers and cattle semen and embryo collection companies must undergo livestock breeding and genetics education and training, such as the following:

1. A masters or PhD in livestock breeding and genetics can be very helpful in this field.

2. Membership in groups dealing with the breeding of livestock can provide valuable information.

3. Reading the latest articles on breeding farm animals will keep you apprised of new techniques and genetic advancements.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Earn a graduate degree in livestock breeding and genetics

Many universities offer graduate degree programs in animal breeding and genetics. These programs often center around research in an attempt to discover new breeding techniques or genetic pairing possibilities. Typically, a bachelors in animal science is the prerequisite, emphasizing, through course selection, your ultimate goal.

I recommend: The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University offers degree programs in animal breeding and genetics. There are varying graduate degrees offered by Iowa State University’s Department of Animal Science that have a traditional emphasis on quantitative genetics. For those who simply want to learn the basics, Agtech, a cattle insemination supply company, offers hands-on learning opportunities on artificial insemination.

Keep up with organizations that release information for farm animal breeders

There are several organizations available that provide information and resources to their members. Participation in these groups would not only provide helpful information, but would keep you apprised of new developments in the field of animal genetics. They also often organize events such as conferences and seminars for additional training opportunities.

I recommend: The United States Department of Agriculture - Cooperative State Research, The Education and Extension Service has a group devoted entirely to animal breeding, genetics and genomics, which provides resources and information on upcoming events, in addition to research development. The National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium is a cooperative of animal breeding researchers from Colorado State University, Cornell University and the University of Georgia. Visit their website for information on events and recent articles on the subject.

Read about livestock breeding and genetics through online resources

There are several articles on the subject of livestock breeding available online. Additionally, many teachers and college professors make their outlines and class notes available for public viewing on various websites. These resources can help you to develop a better understanding of livestock reproduction, breeding techniques and advancements in genetics.

I recommend: John Wiley & Sons provides information for subscribing to the Internet Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. The Open Door Website, organized by teachers in an effort to make their work available world-wide, offers notes on animal reproduction.

Genetically superior animals have always been the key to a successful program in the breeding of livestock. To properly complete this task, you need to find the ideal farm animal breeders to continue your animal population. Whether it's bovine breeding, swine breeding or exotic animal breeding you're involved in, animal husbandry is an important part of agriculture.

Finding that perfect mate when breeding livestock can be a tricky process, however. You want to find a male that can create the perfect animal with the best features. If you're into beef cattle breeding, you want a calf that can grow to provide the most meat. If you're into dairy cattle breeding, you want a calf that has the ability to produce the most milk. When looking for livestock breeders, consider the following:

1. Choose the right livestock breeders for your current situation.

2. Look into advances in technology to assist your livestock genetics needs.

3. Secure livestock breeding equipment at your facility.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate the farm animal breeders for your livestock

Although it's ideal to find a cattle insemination supply company nearby, it's not necessary. With advances in technology, semen can be shipped from many different locations. Most cattle semen suppliers also have catalogs where you can peruse the bulls and see what they have to offer.

I recommend: Breeders' World includes a lengthy list of top beef cattle breeding organizations within the United States. Check out Cattle.com for breeds, sale prices at recent auctions and information about selected bulls. Bovine Elite, llc. also offers an extensive list of cattle semen available for purchase.

Utilize technology for livestock breeding and genetics

Biotechnology can assist you when selecting the perfect livestock embryo. In addition to general artificial insemination, there are options now for cattle semen suppliers to examine cattle semen and weed out the imperfect specimens. In another situation, superior female animals are used as a source of genetic material where they retrieve the unfertilized eggs and artificially inseminate them, then transfer them inside an unrelated dam. This results in a higher reproductive rate.

I recommend: Check out livestock breeders and genetics found at The Cattle Pages. Another one to view is the TheCattleSite.com, where you can find an extensive directory of animal genetics. If it's a specific company you're after, the Double R Cattle Company is one that works with two other herds to raise embryo transfer calves.

Purchase livestock breeding equipment

Even if you don't plan to breed your livestock on-site, you need to make sure you have the equipment on-hand for when you order the livestock semen. The semen is usually sent to you in a labeled, plastic straw, frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor and then placed in liquid nitrogen containers. One straw is good for one artificial insemination. When sent to you, it's best to place it in your liquid nitrogen container promptly, and keep it in the container until it's needed for insemination. Properly stored beef semen can last for years.

I recommend: For optimal storage tanks for your livestock semen, check out SemenTanks.com. Dickinson Cattle Co., Inc. is another reputable business where you can pick up a liquid nitrogen storage tank or other cattle semen supplies. For transporting livestock semen, as well as purchasing semen storage temperature indicators, look into Rotech Livestock Equipment Ltd.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Although the risk is small, it's a good idea to invest in breeders' insurance when dealing with livestock breeding and genetics. Certain equine and bovine breeds can cost thousands of dollars to replace if they die or become injured during the gestational time frame.

Each type of livestock has its own terminology, but there are some basic terms that anyone with livestock should know. As you learn these terms, you realize that there is a lot of science that goes into making the meat and dairy products that we consume. And as farmers gain more knowledge of breeding techniques and genetics, the quality of our meat improves. Because quantity and quality affect the farmer’s bottom line, animal science is a constantly evolving study.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Birth weight

Farmers study the average birth weight of a particular breed of livestock to determine if it suits their herd. Ideally, the animal's birth weight should give the animal a good head start on life, yet the newborn shouldn't be so large as to cause its mother problems during the birthing process. If the newborn's birth weight is too high, Caesarean delivery might be necessary.

I recommend: There is a study on the importance of birth weight in cattle from the Journal of Animal Science.

Carcass weight

Carcass weight is the amount of meat available after the animal's slaughter. Carcass weight doesn't include the animal's internal organs, head or hide. Farmers want animals with a good carcass weight.

I recommend: CattleNetwork offers a detailed yet succinct definition of carcass weight and how this figure is used in the livestock industry.

Estrus, or heat

Estrus, or heat, is the period in a female animal's cycle when her body is ready to mate. In a cow or a pig this cycle occurs roughly every three weeks or until the animal becomes pregnant. The farmer must watch for 'standing heat,' or when the animal stands still for mating, if he plans to use artificial insemination.

I recommend: Read more about estrus in cattle from the University of Hawaii.

Artificial insemination

Artificial insemination involves impregnating the female with semen from the male to ensure that she carries the desired male genetics. Artificial insemination is fairly routine in the swine and dairy cattle industry, and is becoming more common among beef cattle producers.

I recommend: The University of Florida offers detailed information on artificial insemination in dairy cattle. The process is similar to that of other animals as well.

Gestation and gestation period

Gestation, or gestation period, is the term for the length of an animal's pregnancy. The gestation period varies by species. A cow takes 283 days to produce a calf, while a sow has her litter within 116 days.

I recommend: Farmers often use gestation tables to determine when their cows should deliver calves. Cattle Today has a gestation table, as well as an automatic calculator.

External ultrasound

An external ultrasound, or 'preg checker,' is a device farmers can use to determine if an animal is pregnant. This is a non-invasive tool used widely in the swine industry.

I recommend: There is a detailed description of ultrasound techniques in the report published by North Carolina State University.

Livestock breeders are always looking for ways to improve their herds. Whether it’s by improving the birth weight or ease of delivery, or by increasing the average daily rate of gain, there are many factors that go into breeding livestock. Each type of livestock has its own genetic quirks that farm animal breeders try to build on to improve their herd.

Cattle breeding is one area of livestock production where technology plays an active role in improving the genetics of the species. Long gone are the days of turning the bull into the pasture with a herd of cows and hoping for calves nine months later. Today’s cattlemen often do one or more of the following:

1. Use the services of semen collection agencies.

2. Use cattle breeding equipment for insemination.

3. Use special tools to cycle a cow’s estrus.

If you have livestock, it’s important that you stay on top of livestock breeding and genetics news and trends. While the remainder of this guide focuses on the cattle industry, similar advances are happening in other areas of livestock production.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read articles about livestock breeding and genetics

Many university websites offer informative pieces about genetic research on livestock. You can also track livestock breeding and genetics news and trends through industry journals.

I recommend: The University of Illinois Extension offers articles on dairy cattle breeding. The Louisiana State University AgCenter has a number of articles to keep you informed of livestock breeding and genetics news and trends. Many of these articles focus not only on the scientific aspects of breeding livestock, but also on practical tasks like finding the right cattle semen and embryo collection companies and bull breeding supplies.

Sign up for newsletters about livestock breeding and genetics

Some agricultural universities offer newsletters on livestock breeding. You can also find newsletters offered by companies that provide the tools to do this research. Often the information in these newsletters is available to you at no cost.

I recommend: Cattle Network has a number of articles on livestock breeding and genetics. You can also sign up for BEEF Magazine; it offers current news about successful livestock breeders, as well as information about cattle semen suppliers.

Find blogs that pertain to breeding livestock

Often these blogs contain personal observations that you might not find elsewhere. By signing up for a free RSS feed, you receive news about livestock breeding as soon as the writer publishes it.

I recommend: You can stay current with information about breeding farm animals and livestock genetics by subscribing to the RSS feed for eXtension. This is a service that encompasses 74 universities in the United States. It highlights the most recent studies in livestock breeding, conducted using the newest livestock breeding equipment available. For practical information about cattle breeding, read Jim Church’s Cattle Blog.