Association Outlook

Passage of Time

There is no greater force in nature than the simple passage of time, eventually seeing mountains reduced to molehills. The passage of time has a way of doing two things - it allows the interpretation of major issues to dim in importance and fade into distant memories. With the passage of time, new technology and innovations are developed and become the norm for better efficiency and results. Time has some advantages and possibly some disadvantages if we are impatient. Regardless of age, we can look back over our lives and think about the new technologies we use daily compared to what we may have used 10, 20, 30, or even 50 years ago, our daily lives have changed immensely. In many cases, we have become so reliant on new innovations and tech items that we have a hard time functioning when they are not available.

Let’s rub the crystal ball and look into the future. Current technologies will continue to expand and will continue to impact the livestock industry. New technologies will balloon and gain steam in other industries which will, in turn, affect the future of our industry.

Look at DNA, for example, and where it has led us in a relatively short period of time. Genetic editing is happening as I write this today. Other cattle breeds are registering genetically edited animals. Private enterprise has invested the time and money to identify markers and traits making a positive impact on profitability and will continue to influence future animals. The ability to use DNA markers for gene editing is just one area of advancement we will be dealing with sooner than you think. Learning more about this and understanding it will be mandatory for leaders in the livestock industry. Those same breeders will become entrepreneurs in their field because they will embrace other technologies to enhance their outcomes and reach new

Montie D. Soules asa executive secretary/CEO

goals of raising a better and more efficient product.

We in the agriculture and livestock industry use the term, AI. If I ask most of you what this means, you’ll say Artificial Insemination, but there is another newer definition of AI growing by leaps and bounds called Artificial Intelligence. I believe this will be able to change our lives, much like the internet did. The new AI is already changing agriculture in many ways, for example, vegetable farmers are using this to employ robots that relay data on soil and plant growth, then determine the nutritional needs of their products. The use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is going to stack information and intelligence at a level beyond human comprehension. This technology will be a game changer for those who embrace it and learn how to use it to their advantage. We at the ASA will be committed to learning and using AI (I don’t mean breeding cows) to be more efficient and help advance the membership.

I have addressed some technology facing us. To make my point, I suggest you evaluate your own position in the Shorthorn breed. Look at the advantages we have had by using technology to add value and demand to our product. The IGS multi-breed genetic evaluation used to calculate our EPDs has made a huge difference in our breed’s advancements. The EPDs have become relevant and match how the cattle produce. By using this tool, breeders from all facets of the industry are breeding better cattle that the industry recognizes as contributors to the big picture. The passage of time in both utilizing and imputing more data has made a difference with something that many looked at with skepticism in the beginning. Then add the genomic aspect and the accuracy and decision-making process becomes easier for making better Shorthorn cattle. Everything we touch is now data-driven and will compound as we move into the future. Congratulations Shorthorn breeders for all the gains we have seen in the past 5 to 10 years. Your passion and dedication make a difference.

The ASA is planning a major symposium in July 2024 in Lexington, Kentucky, to try to share the changes expected in the future. This will be a big event we’ve been planning for several months. This is just one of the activities originating from the Board and Staff’s strategic planning session last year.

We’ve also been working on a new Shorthorn Show format that will be inaugurated at the Cattlemen’s Congress in January 2024. This is an added show to the Super National in OKC. It will be called the Shorthorn E.D.G.E. (“Exposition Driving Genetic Excellence”). In this show, the genetic/genomic data and the physical phenotype will be evaluated separately and then will be combined to find the winners. Animals participating in this show must be gnomically tested with the 100K test. Information about this show was included in May/June issue of the Shorthorn County. You can find rules in this issue as well. There will be more about it in future Shorthorn Country issues and the ASA Insider email blasts.

Performing 100K DNA testing is mandatory not only for this show but, more importantly, for any genomic results now and in the future. The passage of time has brought many new and great advantages for us in many fields. Many breeders have taken advantage of the innovations developed for the purebred cattle industry. Those breeders are taking the lead. I challenge you to start today to get your houses in order for the future. The technologies will be mind-blowing to some, but those who embrace and make themselves familiar with new AI and everything around it, and use some common sense will have advantages as the time passes!