Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is talking with Dr. Blake Bloomberg about his selection process at livestock shows he judges and about the evolution of genetics in the cattle industry.
Bloomberg is one of the premier livestock judging coaches in America. He coached at Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M University before returning to Iowa to coach at Black Hawk Junior College. Bloomberg will be judging at the National Hereford Junior Show this coming week.
“As my brother and I were judging the Hereford Junior National together this summer together, what we told each other was we wanted to find the heifer that would make us want to buy her and get in the Hereford breed,” Bloomberg said. “I think you are looking for those unique animals that have transcendent pieces, regardless of the breed.”
Bloomberg also talked about changes in genetic trends over the years. He said he does not foresee any big changes being made soon, as now it has come down to the little things.
“We haven’t had near the drastic change that we experienced, when we went from small cattle to the big ones, then we moderated them,” Bloomberg said. “Now, I think it is more tweaking.”
As there are some differences between the show ring and commercial cattle production, Bloomberg said, there is great value to the show side of things.
“I think each person has different goals,” Bloomberg said.
Each person in the cattle industry has their niche, Bloomberg said, and those goals can be blended.
“I don’t think anyone wants to go out and feed a herd of cattle that don’t look quite as good,” Bloomberg said.
With new technology, Bloomberg said, a trait can be changed in a single generation.
“In the show ring, I think we have made cattle quite a bit more similar,” Bloomberg said. “Across breeds, Limousins now don’t necessarily look like the Limousins 30 years ago. The Simmentals sure don’t look like the Simmentals 30 years ago.”
Because of crossbreeding and upbreeding, there is more of a concentrated population, Bloomberg said.
“As long as youth projects and youth want to be involved in the project, it is endless how far we will go,” Bloomberg said. “We have to keep developing a product for the young people that want to be involved in it, and it gives us another avenue from a selling standpoint.”
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
