The Project

• Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no.  from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Multiyear USDA funded project
• Develop selection tools and better understanding of feed efficiency in beef production
• Identify genetic markers associated with feed intake across multiple breeds
• Genomic DNA tests, feed intake, and end product quality of 8,000 animals across 8 breeds:
  -- Angus
  -- Red Angus
  -- Hereford
  -- Simmental
  -- Charolais
  -- Gelbvieh
  -- Wagyu
  -- Limousin
• Cooperate with selected seed stock producers in multiple breeds to help them:
• • Understand genetic marker technology
  • Implement genetic marker technology within their selection goals
  • Utilize marker tests for selection of feed intake in their selection strategies

The Research

• Gene expression analysis of various tissues in animals with differences in feed efficiency.
• Determine microbial population variation associated differences in feed efficiency.
• Evaluate mitochondrial (cell power houses) differences in animals with differences in feed efficiency.
• Conduct digestibility trials using animals with differences in feed efficiency.
• Evaluate forage vs. concentrate level impacts on observed feed efficiency during different production phases (backgrounding and finishing).
• Determine consistency of genetic marker tests across diets.
• Engage undergraduate students in the research of feed efficiency in beef cattle.

Long-Term Goals

• Reduce feed resources required to produce beef via the rapid development and deployment of novel nutritional, genomic, and genetic improvement technologies.
• Strengthen international competitiveness of US agriculture
• Enable increased food production by:
• • Diversion of animal to human food or energy crops by increasing production of animal protein without additional feed inputs
  • Reduce greenhouse gas footprint of beef production systems