Dr Jim Schneider, Babcock's senior geneticist and Dr. Lizhen Wang, geneticist, attended the joint American Society of Animal Science and American Society of Dairy Science meetings held in Denver, Colorado on July 28 to 31, 1998. Over 3800 scientists attended. Papers were presented in many areas including 259 papers in the area of genetics. Dr. Schneider attended sessions looking at genetic models for backfat, meat quality research, evaluation of optimal strategies for selection on a quantitative trait using major gene information, and estimation of genetic parameters. Other areas of current research were in diet, genetic growth, specific breed carcass characteristics, growth traits, carcass, meat quality, eating quality and behavior and environment.
Research continues in the public and private sector.
Cloning Symposium Dr. Wang participated in a cloning symposium at the ASAS meetings. Presented were recent updates, implications of cloning for breed improvement, strategies, and ethical issues in livestock cloning. The key point was whether clones would increase genetic progress without too great a reduction in genetic diversity. In the long term, use of cloning must be managed for cost effectiveness in relation to improvement of quantitative characters. More Genes Mapped More genes have been mapped in the animal chromosomes.