Guidelines for Uniform Beef Improvement Programs

From BIF Guidelines Wiki
About BIF Data Collection and Processing Genetic Evaluation Selection and Mating Useful Pages
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Welcome to the Wiki version of the Guidelines for Uniform Beef Improvement Programs published by the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF). The BIF Guidelines is provided to aid producers in selecting and improving beef cattle. This document is divided into three principal sections: Data Collection and Processing, Genetic Evaluation, and Selection and Mating. In addition, there are sections about the Beef Improvement Federation and a Useful Pages section that includes an invaluable Essential Reading list for those interested in a deeper look into all things related to beef cattle breeding and selection.

The Wiki version of the Guidelines is a modern take on a formal process of academic and industry review of best practices related to beef cattle improvement. As such, input from all sectors of the industry is sought and encouraged. Producers, breeders, academics, government scientists, breed association technical staff and extension educators have all contributed knowledge to this globally respected resource. Your input is valued, too! As you read the guidelines and see opportunities for input, please, utilize the Wiki resources to pass that information to our review committee.

As with all such efforts, the current contributors to the Guidelines stand on the shoulders of industry greats whose contributions to the science of genetic improvement date back well over six decades. It would be impossible to thank all of those who have come before us, but to them we owe a debt of gratitude. On behalf of myself, the BIF Board of Directors, and the long list of contributors to these Guidelines, we hope that you find them useful, if not essential, to achieving your selection goals!

-Bob Weaber, Ph. D., Executive Director

The Beef Improvement Guidelines are the gold standard for unifying our industry. By providing this uniformity, we as a beef industry can bring more value and power to our collected data, enabling us to move our industry further than we could as individual breeders or breed organizations. I encourage you to use this resource to find answers, to learn about new technology, and learn how to collect meaningful data that will make your business or breeding program more successful. You might find some answers to questions you didn’t know you should be asking.

-Kevin Schultz, President, 2023-2024

Guidelines is a publication of the Beef Improvement Federation.