BeefBooster

In the last 35 years, Beefbooster Inc has developed a leading beef breeding program in Alberta. To date the focus of the program has been to establish specific lines of beef cattle to exploit the benefits of cross-breeding (heterosis or hybrid vigour) for the delivery of cattle tailored to Western Canadian environments and production systems. Beefbooster is a fine blend of application of sophisticated statistical methodology with practical animal breeding and production.

Emerging technologies, such as genomics provides a new opportunity for beef producers to address traits and attributes demanded by consumers, retailers, and feeders that better fit market specifications and improve competitiveness of current cattle supplies.

The application of DNA technology could allow leading meat companies to better manage variability and hence deliver attributes to better meet the changing demands of the customer. Genetic markers allow for the selection of traits that are hard to measure and traits that are lowly heritable.  The majority of these attributes are influenced at multiple levels along the supply chain; the successful solution will be based on the collaboration between end customers, suppliers/ processors, packers, cow/calf producers and seedstock supplies. BIXS is in a position to help drive these new developments and to stimulate information flow across the value chain.