Maverick Services
Maverick Genetics is an independent genetic and dairy consulting firm. Unlike other consulting firms whose primary objective is promoting a product-line, Maverick Genetics’ mission is service first. We do not sell any products. At Maverick Genetics, we solely represent and service the interests of the Dairy and Beef Producer. In many ways, Maverick Genetics functions like an attorney, architect, or engineer by providing a specialized skill set to both represent and assist you in developing profitable genetic and operational management programs.
GENETIC IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
Each individual animal, like a cell, is the smallest living component of a greater organism, your farm.
In biology, cellular health and productivity is an indicator of the organism’s overall well being.
On the farm, the health and productivity of each individual micro-enterprise is an indicator of the enterprise’s overall financial well being.
As livestock owners and managers, our goal should be more than just filling spaces with animals of unknown or substandard productivity. There is an “ideal” animal at each farm or feedlot. Every producer knows that animal. Those few spectacular individuals that never get ill, have fantastic fertility, produce 125# of milk per day, or have an unbelievable gain ratio. Our goal should be to identify and/or develop genetically proven, profitable animals, which fit the farm or ranch, making the best use of operational resources, lowering capital risk exposure and maximizing profit potential.
Productive animals are not created by accident. Productive animals are developed and managed by following a farm specific Genetic Improvement Strategy (GIS).
INDEPENDENT GENETIC, REPRODUCTION, AND HERD HEALTH AUDITS
Data is the DNA of Livestock Operations.
Data, like DNA, is a link to the past and the foundation for the future. Nonsense information, data errors, or omissions lead to problems for generations.
While collecting data is important, regular data analysis is essential to ensure the record’s completeness and overall informative quality. An unbiased data audit provides additional operational insights that often cannot be made from farm-based data reviews alone.
Furthermore, for producers that are already genomic testing, but questioning whether they are harnessing this data and utilizing it to its fullest potential, this would be a great starting point. Keep in mind, making management decisions from biased or misinterpreted data is as good as making no decision at all.
FARM SPECIFIC EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS
Livestock operations are like precision machinery, they must be inspected and maintained regularly.
A farm may not contain gears, but it does contain essential components, employees, animals, and operating procedures. While each element possesses separate functions, all must work in synergy for the singular purpose of driving profit potential upward.
Profit potential is increased by maintaining efficient use of operational resources, such as land, labor, and livestock. To accomplish this goal, a livestock operation must have established proven protocols.
While almost all farms have procedures, either written or unwritten, not all operations regularly audit and edit their functional protocols. Over time, the facility’s standard operating procedures bear little resemblance to that which was originally implemented. This is called procedural drift. Procedural drift is a time thief and makes management efforts less effective and the operation less profitable.
FORENSIC DAIRY ANALYSIS
Dairies and large-scale feeding operations are like complex living organisms with a life all their own.
When acquiring a new farm, undergoing managerial transition, or when there are questions regarding operational transparency, timely, clear-cut, objective information is of the essence.
A Forensic Dairy Analysis, is the microscope that provides an in-depth examination of herd data, feeding records, and on-site procedures to understand not only what lies above, but below the surface.