You may have read about a simple DNA test called GeneSTAR that will tell you how much carcass marbling an animal will produce. Well, not exactly. This test, being marketed by GenomicFX , evaluates one particular gene. More research is needed.
Most people think the biggest cost in keeping a cow is land, feed, or maybe labor.
But the biggest cost can be something we often don't think about, depreciation. Cows depreciate, just like pickups or hay balers. How much they depreciate depends on their initial value and what they're worth when culled. To minimize depreciation, keep or buy fewer replacements when they're high. Then, maximize salvage value by putting weight on thin cows, marketing during seasonal highs, and breeding so you can sell bred cows which might not fit your calving season but could work well for somebody else.