01/03/06 Ultra sound helps beef producers

Washington Ag January 3, 2006 The use of ultrasound in the beef industry to evaluate muscle and fat in beef breeding stock has increased rapidly over the last ten years. Tom Platt, Washington State University Area Extension Educator, says that predictions of a bulls ability to pass to his offspring traits of muscling, marbling and fat as measured by ultrasound are becoming common in sire summaries and sale catalogs. Platt has organized a meeting to explore how ultrasound information can be interpreted and used by beef producers in making decisions about purchasing bulls. It is scheduled in conjunction with the regular monthly meeting of the Spokane County Cattlemen's Association tomorrow, Wednesday January 4th beginning at 7 p.m. at the Spokane County WSU Extension Center on North Havanna. Platt says ultrasound expert Lisa Kriese Anderson with Auburn University in Alabama will speak over amplified telephone as a slide show is presented. Platt: "Doctor Anderson will speak about how the ultrasound measurements are made and how technicians are certified and what the industry has done to ensure the integrity of the ultrasound information." Area beef producers are welcome to attend the meeting provided as a service to the beef industry by the Spokane County Cattlemen's Association and WSU Extension. I'm Bob Hoff.