In the decade since the bovine genome was mapped, the search for practical applications has been a bioscience boom industry. The most recent result can help profitably increase the supply of cattle qualifying for the CAB brand. It comes from a CAB and Angus Genetics Inc.

It takes so many plants to make a stand, cows to make a herd, and drops to make a rain. Before turning that herd out to pasture, you look for enough plant mass to support their grazing. If you're watching a couple of bred heifers for a month, you might as well be watching 20 or 30.

A sub-genre in fiction is called fan fiction. Look it up online and youll see how the interactivity keeps story engines humming as mostly school-age writers explore plot twists, hinges and consequences. Facebook has an interactive fiction game called Farmville.

Records should confirm those mature-weight guesses and, factoring in average weaning weights, point out the most and least efficient cows. Ear tag numbers should convey age at a glance, and the oldest cows have made us the most money.

When you breed or turn out bulls with heifers or cows, you have certain expectations. Ideally, you want each of them to become pregnant, deliver an unassisted, healthy calf, and raise it to half its mommas weight six months later.

The real world aint what it used to be. Of course, it changes all the time. But the idea may have changed fastest of all.

The oldest cow on record died in Ireland in 1993 at the age of 49, having been born on St. Patricks Day 1944 in Kerry and producing 39 calves over time. So she missed a few yearsbig deal.

Take another look at your cattle. Get out your records and take a deeper look. You think theyre the right kind, but you may have plans to improve them through breeding and management.

As producers, you know how good beef is for you. But you still like to hear people say good things about it, from the aroma to the taste, nutrition and satisfaction. Maybe youre an expert in preparing home-grown cuts for guests, but the people who increased their demand for beef over the last several years probably have less skill.

So our logic filter for criticism is a focal point. Does it let through the social and fad-oriented opinions not backed by science? Does it allow consideration of survey data, still not consistent with science but representing a valid snapshot of what people think?.