Nutrition vs Genetics

[jphelps]

Hypothetical situation...

Your starting off in the beef industry, you manage all stages of life from birth to slaughter, and you have the opportunity to specialize in one of two branches of knowledge, genetics or nutrition. Which would you choose to specialize in? Obviously you would you still know about the other but would not have as complete of a knowledge. You do not have an indispensable income to buy whatever genetics and feed you would like. You don't have help from others, you and your knowledge alone. End goal is to raise steers for profit, not show calves.

 

[knabe]

genetics is in much more demand, especially across industries, ie human diagnostics, pharma etc.

nutrition doesn't have much flexibility in the job market.

 

[Top Knot]

Nutrition. Feed costs are 65%-75% of your total expenses. The ability to feed well and feed economically huge. There are lots of people out there doing the genetics and doing it well, bu a whole group of them might rely on one person that's a nutrition guru.

 

[oakview]

If I was the owner of the ranch, managing from birth to slaughter, I would stress the nutrition side, assuming I had a workable knowledge of genetics.  If I was looking for a career, I would say genetics.  If I was in charge of the show herd, I would focus on hair management.

 

[jphelps]

If I was the owner of the ranch, managing from birth to slaughter, I would stress the nutrition side, assuming I had a workable knowledge of genetics.  If I was looking for a career, I would say genetics.  If I was in charge of the show herd, I would focus on hair management.

Beauty school it is then!

 

[jphelps]

genetics is in much more demand, especially across industries, ie human diagnostics, pharma etc.

nutrition doesn't have much flexibility in the job market.

I am not looking for what career focus, just a thought I had and was looking to see how people would respond. If demand for said professions is non applicable, which would you choose?

 

[Dozer45]

Just raising steers I would go nutrition. If you have middle of the road cows you can do a lot with them just knowing how to feed efficiently

 

[knabe]

both should be mastered as well as having an off farm job.  know plenty of people like that.

 

[BarRcattle]

Well fed animals that are structurally poor, unsound moving and poor converters of feed are just well fed culls. Choosing the right animal(s) to pass on desirable genetics will always get you further in the end.