Research in this group is focused on identifying environmental and genetic contributions to the health and well-being of animals.
Environmental Sustainability
Animal agriculture is committed to environmentally sustainable production. It is critical that we provide producers with the most recent technological innovations and to provide information regarding the economic implications of adoption of those technologies.
Research encompasses genome science and biotechnology. In particular, projects include understanding the genome structure, function and evolution, and developing quantitative and molecular genomic approaches for improving animal production, product quality and health.
Projects span the gamut of basic and applied research and include defining the molecular mechanisms of muscle development, physiological responses to growth regulators, meat quality improvement and food safety.
Animal nutrition is critical to appropriate animal husbandry for agricultural, companion and zoo animals, the economics of animal production, and use of by-products of that arise from human food. Research is conducted across the span of applied to fundamental nutrition. This work includes energy nutrition of laboratory animals, beef and dairy cattle, use of by-product feeds, forage, comparative nutrition and trace mineral metabolism.
Research in reproductive biology/physiology includes endocrinology, and embryo development that is both basic and applied using cattle, sheep, swine and rodent models.