Changing genetics involves time and money

“You need to set goals prior to making any changes,” says Randie Culbertson, Extension beef specialist with Iowa State University. “Talk to people who have done it before and learn from their experience.”In the beef industry, she says, most genetic changes are made through new bulls or replacement heifers. Culbertson estimates roughly 10% of the beef industry uses artificial insemination.“Some use the technology more than others,” she says. “In many case