For years the American cattleman has focused on breeding for size and forgot about quality. However as the focus shifts away from size we should not miss the opportunity to breed for quality and specifically the quality of intramuscular fat.  Intramuscular fat, or marbling, is that quality of beef, which enhances its taste, tenderness and palatability. When a carcass is graded at the slaughterhouse, it cannot be graded prime unless it has a high percentage of intramuscular fat. This prime grading can mean as much as a 25% increase in the price you get for your cattle.

The amount of intramuscular fat depends entirely on genetics. No feeding program can add to a cow, bull or steer what is not inherently there. Through hybrid vigor breeding or continual out crossing we have lost much of this quality in most of the herds.  As we increased the size, we decreased the amount of intramuscular fat which is so important in providing the extra energy needed for continued reproduction and low maintenance.  Our land will not support the large cow and bull.

A cow or bull with higher intramuscular fat will be less expensive to maintain, and because the animal has an energy reserve to pull from, will maintain better under the stress of calving, nursing and a heavy breeding season.   Also, because the female has maintained her body condition, her pregnancy rate will be higher. A bull with lower intramuscular fat will tend to have a poorer quality of semen, resulting in decreased conception.  However, it is common knowledge that the bulls have 1% to 1.5% less fat
than the female which is caused by testosterone.  Our bulls are not providing the genetic help that is needed for the quality of his progeny.

How do we get the quality of intramuscular fat back in our herds?  Through the use of the ULTRASOUND and choosing the correct body structure and with the use of LINEAR MEASURING we can make a determination of the percentage of intramuscular fat and have the carcass needed for profit and quality.

The gene pool must be reestablished into the beef bull battery to assure the stability and predictability of the breeds. There is a way to have the size of carcass needed and have the quality needed to grade choice or better.  The goal is to get the quality maternal gene pool back in our bulls enabling him to sire as many good sons as he does daughters.

The most satisfaction for Mr. Fry comes as he travels the country helping the serious minded breeder by ranking his cows according to the quality of intramuscular fat, reproductive performance and maintenance efficiency. First, you must determine which cows will produce herd-enhancing offspring, and match the female's week points with the bull's strong points.