The importance of genetics in making decisions for your operation cannot be overstated. A new event offered by Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University is providing a program to educate producers on the tools available for making genetic improvement for their operation.

The inaugural Genetic Symposium is set for Dec. 18-19 in Ames at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center. ISU extension cow-calf specialist Randie Culbertson planned the program and has a great lineup of topics and speakers on a variety of topics all focusing on the bull.

"Understanding the tools available for genetic selection can help you choose the right bull for your operation," she said. " Attendees will learn from the best in the industry, from leading beef cattle geneticists to bull buyers to breeders who apply the tools available to make genetic improvements for their herds. We'll also have demonstrations on carcass ultrasound and bull development."

Southeast Iowa extension beef specialist Patrick Wall encouraged seedstock producers to attend the symposium.

“Producers can potentially purchase up to half of their genetic base every year during bull buying season, making their decision one of the most crucial choices of the year," he said. "This event is aimed at showing attendees what new genetic tools are available and how to harness them, with the end goal being to lead them into buying the bull that their operation needs rather than the kind of bulls they more traditionally find themselves bidding on."

Attendees will hear from a bull stud panel, keynote speakers on bull buying, and a producer panel discussing bull selection from a seedstock perspective. A fun evening activity includes a mock bull sale, after which the drivers for bidding and buying behavior will be broken down and discussed.

Session topics include:

The event begins at noon on Dec. 18 and runs through noon on Dec. 19. For more details, visit the symposium website.