The 2017 USDA Census reports Anderson County has 380 Cow-calf operations with 15,880 head and 340 Beef Cattle Operations with 8,263 head. The Anderson County Extension agent, in collaboration with University Specialists in the Animal Science Department and ABS Global, provided clientele with access to a new innovative technique for artificial insemination and synchronization protocol.  This programming allows producers to incorporate a synchronization protocol that provides a high conception rate percentage and artificial insemination for beef cattle operators with sexed semen that gives a higher likelihood for male progeny.

Through monthly individual producer meetings and additional community-based educational programming planned by the Agents and Specialists, producers will gain a valuable understanding of the importance of incorporating quality breeding stock into their production practices.   Monthly individual producer meetings consisted of incorporating a new synchronization protocol, new breeding selection tools, and pregnancy checking. Community-based programming included synchronization protocol, expected progeny difference, body condition score, mineral supplementation, pelvic scoring, pregnancy checking, A.I. bull selection, and beef cattle feed rations.

Fall breeding for 2021 is the first time this program has been done in Anderson County, with 3 producers participating and over 260 cows in the study. In-person interviews will be conducted every year to gauge the effectiveness of the program. Producer’s cattle will be bred to top-ranked herd sires on the sexed semen market utilizing the most successful A.I. synchronization protocol to date. New technology testing for pregnancy, such as ultrasounds and blood tests will be done with producers to help give industry technology companies product insight for development. This helps producers decrease input costs in terms of herd sire utilization and increase productivity through high A.I. conception rates of steers in addition to increasing revenue through breeding efficiency.

Being the first year for this new innovative program, producers will be working with the Agent, Specialists, and industry representatives to incorporate both the sexed semen techniques and new synchronization protocol.  This will be done through collective with the assistance of the County Agent, Extension Specialists, and cattle product supply groups. Programming around these concepts will continue to be conducted as the industry continues to advance to keep producers in Anderson County at the forefront of the beef cattle industry standards.