Beef Cattle Type for Maximum Efficiency “Putting it All Together”

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Abstract
This presentation will deal primarily in opinions. Many of them are not original. However, I believe that there may be need for re-emphasis. To make the opinions more suspect, they are perhaps the product of the ‘administrator syndrome,’ which can be described as, “knowing less and less about more and more until you have no understanding of anything,” or perhaps the product of the ‘specialist syndrome,’ which can be described as, “knowing more and more about less and less until you understand everything about nothing.” There is not much doubt but what the publicly supported beef cattle research and education program has had a relatively high level of effectiveness, as measured by impact on production practices. Also, the rather complex and diverse beef cattle industry is continuing to show an increased keenness to implement new production technology. In fact, this dynamic industry has recently been presenting us with an increasing number of questions to which we are largely lacking in answers. These questions seem to be generally motivated by the need to make adjustments in production programs as a result of technological and economic developments that will likely continue to occur at an increasing rate—both inside of and outside of the beef cattle industry. Thus, regardless of the effectiveness of past research efforts, it seems that all dimensions of research programs should be challenged on a continuing basis. The fact that we cannot provide good solutions to many of the present problems that confront the industry should motivate us to challenge our present research programs with the question: “Are we using our research resources in a manner most likely to result in the greatest return to them relative to present and future problems of the industry?” Copyright © 1972. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1972 by American Society of Animal Science.

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