Ohio native Skylar Gericke quickly learned how brutal Arizona summers can be on conception rates and getting cows pregnant. He did his best to get cows bred, and when he was done for the day, he started noticing other improvement areas on the dairy.

A productive cow can only have one calf per year. For generations, that biological limit has defined how fast beef producers can make genetic progress in their herds. No matter how elite a female is, her influence on a herd is constrained by time.

It’s fair to say embryo transfer (ET) isn’t a common practice for most U.S. beef herds. Current data indicate that less than 5% of cow-calf operations have adopted ET technology.

Founded by a team passionate about cattle breeding and genetics, Blueprint Genetics has become a leader in embryo production and donor cow management.

Dairy farmers are no longer just milk producers – they are key players in the beef industry. With the right reproductive strategies, they can maximize the value of every calf born on their operation.

Some producers may be leery of adopting practices such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization due to perceived high costs and risk factors. Here’s a look at some of the numbers.

Creating and developing elite cattle has been the focus of Tom and Kelli Cull of Budjon Farms since taking over the operation in 2000. Established by Tom’s parents, John and Mary, the Pewaukee, Wisconsin, dairy specializes in breeding and boarding some of the finest registered cattle in North America.

Dairies that rely on embryo transfer often achieve success rates similar to artificial insemination (A.I.). Plus, in times of heat stress, pregnancies resulting from embryo transfer may exceed those of A.I., with some dairies reporting pregnancy rates as much as 10 or more percentage points higher for embryos. Yet, positive outcomes are not possible without a commitment to quality ­­– of embryos and transfer techniques.

Betley Family Farms might’ve burst into the registered cattle scene like a lion, but there’s no way they’re going out like a lamb. It’s evident by the team’s commitment to creating profitable cattle that they’re just getting started.