The food and agriculture markets, like many other traditional industries such as banking and automotive, are faced with fundamental market shifts. Science, new technology, infrastructure, digital capabilities, and viral marketing are converging, changing the rules and environment that many industries operate in. As an industry, the need to adapt and embrace new practices that create more value to thrive in this changing landscape is critical. Lenexa based Vytelle, a leading biotechnology company accelerating genetic progress in cattle, refers to this as the triple challenge.  Challenge one: the need to produce more high-quality protein. Challenge two: the need to adopt, verify, and communicate sustainable practices. Challenge three: the need to provide products at the best possible price while maintaining and increasing producer profitability.

Recently, Vytelle announced that they, will be part of a $10Million pilot project funded via the USDA Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Initiative. The project, led by Low Carbon technologies, is a consortium of like-minded technology companies joined to implement climate-smart methods across the full beef life cycle and supply chain to reduce GHG emissions over 50% of the average in the United States. 

This ground breaking five-year industry driven project will measure, monitor, quantify and report all aspects of the technologies implemented. Ultimately, the goal is to drive value thru the supply chain, demonstrating that economic premiums are possible for commercial cattle producers that adopt innovative practices by expanding climate-smart markets and generating carbon credit revenue for producers. 

Vytelle’s participation in the project includes the use of its individual animal data capture system, Vytelle SENSE and its data decision support tools, Vytelle INSIGHT to measure animal feed intake, growth and performance. The technology will be deployed on a network of participating cow-calf ranches to monitor cow performance. Progeny cattle feed efficiency and performance will measured and monitored thru the life cycle with the technology installed on Kansas based, family run Tiffany Cattle Company lead by Shane and Shawn Tiffany. Vytelle and the team at Tiffany Cattle Company will use the Vytelle technology to collect individual animal data, identifying those cattle that are eating less while performing equal or better. The ability to identify those efficient converters is directly linked to GHG emissions due to the high correlations between feed intake and GHG emissions. This means that capturing this data in the feedlot will ultimately help to inform breeding decisions for the next crop insuring that low emitting cattle genetics are used reducing the overall GHG footprint of a pound of beef.

This collaborative work will benefit not only livestock producers but also consumers and the environment. By improving the efficiency of breeding programs, Vytelle's technologies will help to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production, while also ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality meat and dairy products for consumers.

Vytelle serves beef and dairy producers in 20 countries through its integrated technology platform built to fast forward genetic progress for sustainable production.

Learn more here about Vytelle  www.vytelle.com

Learn more here about Tiffany Cattle Company  www.tiffanycattle.com