Genetics

Genomics and the Evolving Role of the Bovine Veterinarian

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:41:40 GMT

Genomic testing is gaining traction in the beef industry, but for many producers, adoption still feels out of reach. The tools are available and the data is powerful, but the starting point is often unclear.

Increasingly, producers are looking to their veterinarians for guidance. The challenge is that many veterinarians are still defining what their role in genomics should look like.

Insights from Dr. Kirk Ramsey, professional services veterinarian, and Kelsey Luebbe, genomics technical services scientist, both with Neogen, highlight both the opportunity and the uncertainty shaping this shift.

An Expanding Role for a Trusted Voice

Producers have no shortage of information about genomics. Industry media, technical specialists and webinars all contribute to awareness, but when it comes time to make decisions, veterinarians remain a trusted source.

That trust is rooted less in genomics expertise and more in long-standing relationships and a deep understanding of herd performance. Veterinarians already play a central role in decision-making on many operations. Genomics is simply extending that role into new territory.

For many practitioners, genomics aligns closely with work they are already doing.

Veterinarians advise on heifer selection, evaluate bulls and track reproductive performance over time. They understand how cattle perform within a specific environment and how past decisions continue to influence current outcomes. This perspective is increasingly valuable as genomic data becomes part of the conversation.

“We have to be very diligent about looking for opportunities to expand our consulting realm because we have to maintain a capacity to provide value to our customers, especially as technology comes on and is moving forward,” Ramsey says.

Rather than focusing solely on treatment and prevention, veterinarians are being pulled into more strategic discussions, helping producers evaluate trade-offs and set long-term direction.

“We have to be on top of understanding what’s out there, understanding how we can provide value, and then at the same time, trying to be more than just the traditional veterinarian that we have always been. Maybe dive in a little bit more and leverage our capacity to understand the production systems and new technologies, helping our customers be progressive.” Ramsey adds.

This adjustment does not replace traditional services, but builds on them.

The Confidence Gap

Despite this opportunity, many veterinarians do not feel fully prepared to lead genomic discussions.

“As a veterinarian, I had no idea that my producers were looking to me for genetic advice. I knew they were looking to me for treatment advice, vaccination protocols or maybe even general production type questions, but I didn’t realize I actually had that much influence over whether they would even look in the genomic direction,” Ramsey says.

There is a growing awareness that expectations have changed, even if training has not fully kept pace.

“We don’t have a ton of training as veterinarians on genomics,” Ramsey begins. “It was a class we took at 6:30 a.m. back in undergrad, but I don’t feel like I learned a lot more in the DVM program.”

At the same time, industry organizations and companies are beginning to expand continuing education and develop resources to support veterinarians in this space.

The knowledge gap exists, but it is narrowing.

(Vernon Bewley - Neogen)

A Practical Entry Point

For veterinarians, stepping into genomics does not require mastering every detail of the technology. It starts with approaching it the same way they approach other herd-level decisions.

“If somebody comes and says, ‘Hey, I want to start testing,’ the first thing is to establish the goals. What are you trying to accomplish? Where are we headed? What are the things that we can help you identify? Where are the hurdles that you currently are facing and how can we help you move past them?” Ramsey says.

1. Start with herd goals, not genomic tests

Genomics is most useful when it is tied to a defined objective. Without that context, even strong data has limited value.

“Sometimes that conversation stalls because ‘What are your goals?’ is such a huge, open-ended question. So we reframe it: Where are you making money? Where are you losing money? Or, where does it really bother you that you’re losing money? That’s where we start,” Luebbe says.

Framing the conversation around economics makes it more actionable.

2. Use what you already know about the herd

Veterinarians bring years of observation and data to the table. Genomics adds another layer, helping explain patterns and refine decisions rather than replacing existing knowledge.

3. Lean on available resources

While genomics-specific training for veterinarians is still developing, practical information is available through industry partners, genomic companies and professional organizations.

4. Focus on interpretation, not promotion

The veterinarian’s value lies in helping producers understand and apply results, not in selling a specific test.

5. Integrate genomics into existing decision points

Genomics fits naturally into decisions already being made, including replacement selection, breeding strategies and long-term planning.

What Getting Started Looks Like for Producers

For producers, the biggest barrier to adoption is often uncertainty, not resistance.

A practical starting point is to focus on a defined group of animals tied to an immediate decision, such as replacement heifers. This allows genomic data to be applied directly without overcomplicating the process. Luebbe suggests making the process fun can be a good entry point.

“Test the animals that you’re arguing about with your brother,” Luebbe says. “Whether it’s the whole bunch, the bottom 50% or the top 25%. Do it so that you can gain some additional information to help you make better decisions.”

Optimally, testing should represent the whole group being evaluated rather than a small subset of top-performing animals, ensuring the results provide a meaningful picture.

Genomics works best alongside visual assessment and experience. It adds insight into differences that are not always visible but does not replace practical knowledge.

The Growing Intersection of Genetics and Health

While genomics has traditionally focused on production and maternal traits, its role is expanding into health.

“We’re starting to bring more health-driven traits to the table. Using genomics to understand the capacity of the immune system for the animal and their genetic risk of developing bovine respiratory disease or congestive heart failure. We’re starting to see this change in the industry and leveraging genomics to understand what health concerns our cattle might be having,” Ramsey says.

This shift strengthens the connection between genomics and veterinary expertise, creating new opportunities to improve herd resilience and reduce disease risk through selection. As these tools evolve, veterinarians will play a key role in helping producers interpret and apply this information effectively.

A Shift Already Underway

Genomics is no longer a future concept. It is a tool that is steadily becoming part of everyday decision making.

“Genomics will never replace a producer’s understanding of their cattle,” Ramsey says. “But what it can do is uncover that layer hidden underneath the skin and identify the genetic capacity that they’re actually bringing.”

For veterinarians, the shift is already happening. Producers are asking questions, expectations are evolving and data is becoming part of routine conversations. The opportunity is not to become an expert in every aspect of genomics, but to build on the role veterinarians already hold.

Getting started does not require having all the answers. It requires stepping into the conversation and helping move it forward.

Precision Genomics: The Veterinarian’s Role in Commercial Herd Rebuilding

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:38:02 GMT

With the U.S. beef herd at historic lows , rebuilding is no longer just about numbers. It is about keeping the right females. Today, every retained replacement heifer represents years of genetic influence, input costs and production risk. For the bovine practitioner, this is an opportunity to move beyond traditional “chute-side technician” roles and become a strategic data consultant. Selection is no longer just about phenotype; it is about mitigating biological and economic risks.

The following strategies for precision genomics are pulled from a deep-dive discussion with Dr. Kent Andersen and Dr. Tom Short on The Bovine Vet Podcast . By pairing clinical experience with genomic tools, practitioners can better navigate the current rebuilding phase.

Moving Beyond Visual Appraisal

Visual selection remains a cornerstone of cattle management. Structural soundness, disposition and obvious developmental concerns cannot be ignored. However, phenotype alone does not tell the whole story of an animal’s future productivity.

The Trap of Size: Selecting the largest heifers often inadvertently selects for higher maintenance requirements and increased feed intake.

“Traditionally, commercial cow-calf producers have selected their replacement heifers based on visual appraisal — and perhaps, the ones that are born earliest and just have the look of making a good cow,” says Andersen, director of global beef genetic technical services for Zoetis Animal Health. “Unfortunately, when you select based on looks and size, sometimes you’re picking the biggest ones. So, you’re picking the heifers that may turn out to be the bigger cows that have higher maintenance requirements.”

The Genomic Advantage: Genetic predictions provide insight into metabolic efficiency, fertility, and longevity before a single dollar is spent on development.

“There’s a lot of traits in the unseen world, such as cow fertility, intake, feed conversion, bovine respiratory disease health, that you really can’t gauge by just looking at them,” Andersen says. “The new tools allow the producer to pick heifers that are less risky of dropping out early and maybe not being very profitable.”

Clinical Genomics: Disease Risk and Wellness

One of the more significant recent advancements is the ability to generate genomic predictions related to disease risk, particularly bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Developing those metrics required assembling large populations of cattle with detailed health records and corresponding genotypes. Understanding the value of those predictions requires a clear understanding of heritability.

Heritability vs. Management: Genetics do not replace vaccinations, but they lower the baseline risk. Selecting for higher “Wellness” scores builds a more resilient herd that responds better to clinical protocols.

“Heritability is kind of a term a lot of people don’t understand in a way, but it’s basically just the amount of variation in a trait that we see that’s due to additive genetics, meaning that we can measure it, select for it and improve it,” says Short, associate director in outcomes research with Zoetis Animal Health.

The Data Gap: Historically, commercial heifers lacked the Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) available to seedstock. Genomic testing (e.g., Inherit Select) bridges this gap, providing EPD-level accuracy on unproven females.

“With this technology, we’re getting genetic predictions in commercial cattle that, if you think about it historically, have had very little, if any, information recorded on them,” Short says. “All the data recording and genetic selection and prediction and everything has really occurred at the seedstock level.”

By combining DNA information with national cattle evaluation systems, commercial heifers can now receive EPDs across a range of economically important traits, from fertility and growth to structural and health-related measures.

Managing Genetic Antagonisms

Selecting for a single trait, such as extreme growth, often comes at a cost to others, such as calving ease or fertility.

“Selecting to increase one trait may actually decrease another, but in an undesirable direction,” Short explains. “That’s where you have to weigh the two traits in an index appropriately, knowing that there’s antagonisms there.”

Economic Indices: Use weighted indices to manage these trade-offs. These tools balance production and maternal performance to ensure overall operation profitability rather than chasing outlier data points.

Precision Culling: Identifying “bottom-tier” genetics early allows producers to divert resources toward high-potential females, optimizing the client’s input costs and long-term sustainability.

The DVM as the “Trusted Adviser”

The veterinarian is often the most influential voice in a producer’s decision-making process, making them the ideal conduit for genomic integration.

“In our interactions with commercial cow-calf producers, it’s almost always the veterinarian that is the most trusted adviser,” Andersen says. “The veterinarian is helping them with their herd health program, so we think it’s a natural fit for the bovine practitioner to also assist with getting DNA collected and using the results.”

Short echoes that sentiment. “Most cow-calf herds that have a valid client-patient relationship with their veterinarian trust them as a resource, and especially when it comes to things like health and genetics, which are more technical aspects of what they have to do in their everyday jobs,” he says.

Workflow Integration: DNA collection via ear punch is easily integrated into routine pregnancy diagnosis, vaccination, or breeding soundness exams.

Consultative Value: By interpreting genomic results, veterinarians can guide mating strategies and marketing decisions—such as selling “value-added” replacements—strengthening the Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR).

The Economic Reality of Genomic Testing

Early adopters in the commercial space are capturing disproportionate value in a tight market.

“Early adopters are the ones that get the biggest reward,“ Short says. “Not only am I going to select the very best heifers I test for my own replacements, I’ve got a next group here that are pretty good. I’m going to sell them as value-added replacements to my neighbors.”

Genomic testing, often costing between $15 and $40 per head, can lead to significantly higher lifetime returns by ensuring only the most efficient, fertile, and healthy females enter the breeding herd. While visual appraisal and experience are still important, pairing intuition with genomic insight defines the next generation of decision-making.

Summary for the Practitioner

“I think the sail has been set to evolve from real group herd-based to more individual animal-based in our selections, in our matings, in our management protocols, in our days on feed and harvest time protocols,” Andersen concludes. “The individual animal information, I think, paves the way for that.”

As the industry shifts toward individual animal management, genomic data is the next essential “diagnostic tool.” It allows the practitioner to move from managing groups to optimizing individuals, ultimately building a more profitable operation for the client.

To hear more from Andersen and Short on how genomics is redefining the commercial cow-calf industry, including more information on Inherit Select and the newly introduced BRD selection indices, listen to the full conversation on the latest episode of The Bovine Vet Podcast .