KC startup pairs with blockchain platform to build trust, value in premium beef genetics
January 31, 2024 | Startland News Staff
A newly announced strategic collaboration is expected to help Lenexa-based Vytelle promote the value of feeder cattle, while simultaneously bringing more transparency to a critical market segment within the beef industry.
The initiative between Vytelle and BlockTrust Network — an API-driven platform that leverages blockchain technology to enhance trust within the beef supply chain — marks the first of its kind aimed to leverage their respective strengths targeting the feeder cattle market.
“We are thrilled to embark on this groundbreaking collaboration with Blocktrust,” said Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle, the fastest growing, independent IVF company and curator of the world’s largest feed efficiency database.
Collaboration is a step forward in building markets that acknowledge the value of premium genetics for Vytelle’s seedstock customers by increasing the demand for their progeny, she added.
Leveraging the power of the Vytelle’s industry leadership in characterizing feed efficient genetics, Vytelle will develop tools to characterize differences in feed efficiency among groups of feeder cattle via the Blocktrust Network’s permissioned blockchain, the company said. This information will provide buyers unique insights on the value of cattle, shining a spotlight on the premium value of calves sired by bulls from breeding programs that are driving genetic improvement in feed efficiency, a critical driver of profitability and sustainability in cattle feeding.
“Blockchain technology has proven to be a transformative force across various industries and Blocktrust Network is thrilled to bring a new level of transparency to the beef supply chain,” said Gregg Barfield, CEO of Blocktrust Network, which is headquartered in College Station, Texas. “The opportunity to classify cattle individually based on their genetics and performance through harvest will unlock markets and value for smaller producers to participate in quality-driven sustainable supply chains.”
Featured Business

2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Lawrence-based Sweet Jane magazine offers safe space for women to get candid about cannabis
Satisfying her own curiosity, Katy Ibsen penned an article on cannabis opportunities for publishers. “There were niche magazines being published, there were B2B magazines being published, there was ‘High Times’ and ‘Dope,’” Ibsen, now founder, editor and publisher of Sweet Jane magazine, said of her research for the piece. A 10-year publishing vet with a…
Cannabis founder’s advice: Weed out the bad seeds; run green startups like real businesses
Cannabis might seem like it presents a Wild West frontier for entrepreneurs looking to strike green, said Michael Wilson, but would-be founders must cultivate a plan grounded in common sense — and the law. “In the industrial hemp or marijuana space, if you want to build a successful business, run it like a real damn…
Show Me Hyperloop: Missouri panel confident it can win route with $300M+ test track
If Missouri wants to win the race for a Virgin Hyperloop One route connecting Kansas City and St. Louis, the Show Me State must foot the bill for a 12- to 15-mile test track that could cost taxpayers, the state and private partners more than $300 million, according to a new report. “This initial segment…
Cyber threats and opportunities: Why did 50+ KC schoolgirls get a peek at Fishtech’s high-security campus?
You never know when an opportunity will find you, Alex Vendetti told a group of Kansas City high school girls touring the Fishtech Group cybersecurity campus. “I was a hairstylist before this,” Vendetti, a project manager at Fishtech, told groups of students making their ways through the cybersecurity startup’s sprawling Martin City facilities Friday. The…


