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
Digital Sandbox KC nabs $950K to continue regional startup impact
Already with a lasting legacy of growing the area entrepreneurial ecosystem, Digital Sandbox KC has received significant support that should fuel its program for years to come. The proof-of-concept incubator was recently awarded a combined $950,000 — $450,000 from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and $500,000 from the Missouri Technology Corporation. The two grants will…
Victor Hwang: Individual entrepreneurs hold the key to making America great again
Victor Hwang posed a riddle to a TEDx crowd gathered in Georgia. What five-letter word was overlooked during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign and almost never mentioned by the candidates or at the party conventions? The answer is rooted in overcoming inequality, said Hwang, vice president of entrepreneurship for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. “I’m…
Startup newbie: How researching entrepreneurship in Medellin led me to Kansas City
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. When my wife Megan and I visited Kansas City this past January as part of our “city shopping tour,” there was much that impressed us and led to our decision to make it our new home. In many respects, we chose Kansas City…


