I’m Susan Allen,, ranchers get a little chastising from a well known geneticist when Open Range returns. Amazing technology is  used to raise cattle  from breeding to birth.  Matt Spangler University of Nebraska-Lincoln geneticist hit the nail on the head when he said that beef producers have more technology available to them than with  any other species “.  Spangler also pointed out that  ranchers are  very slow to utilize it.  Being savvy about EPD’s is imperative today EPD’s  for those of you listeners not in the beef industry, stand for expected progeny differences  that provide estimates of the genetic value of an animal as a parent. EPDs are calculated for birth, growth, maternal, and carcass traits and are reported in the same units of measurement as the trait (normally pounds).  A working knowledge of  genetics and cross breeding are critical to a successful ranching operation . Genomics is another fast growing field that already is  providing more en depth information about a cow. Pedigree-based EPDS can only go so far in determining a animals make up yet when genomics is part of the mix there is more accuracy in getting EPD;s at a younger age providing an added  advantage  for the seedstock producer  because according to Spangler, they now are able to use younger animals when they have confidence about their genetic make-up. One rancher I met recently is even using  using DNA  to fight a legal battle  over  water rights .In his case  DNA test’s  proved it wasn’t cattle polluting the river it was an elk herd