Animal Science has four key areas of research, Animal Health and Well-Being, Genetics and Genomics, Nutrition Physiology and Reproductive Physiology. Today we are highlighting a lab in the Genetics and Genomics area. Troy Rowan, Assistant Professor, specializing in beef cattle genomics will share his lab with us.
Questions
What kind of work does your research group conduct?
Our lab is interested in understanding the genetic basis of economically relevant complex traits in beef cattle. We do work at the intersection of functional genomics, quantitative genetics, and animal breeding. We’re looking to improve genetic predictions by adding biologically important information to existing statistical models. This research uses multiple “-omics” technologies and various sources of genetic and phenotypic “big data.” We are interested in four main research areas:
- Understanding the molecular basis of heterosis
- Breeding better-adapted cattle
- Developing novel phenotypes
- Optimizing genotype imputation strategies
Our overall goal is to make beef cattle production more productive, profitable, and sustainable.
What led you to your research?
I grew up on a beef cattle operation and was always interested in the selection process. I’d spend tons of time flipping through sire catalogs and studying bull EPDs. After high school, I went to Creighton University (Omaha, NE) with the intent of pursuing med school, but I quickly realized that wasn’t the path for me. Instead, I got involved in a research lab and was immediately hooked. Eventually, I realized that I could connect my interest in research with my passion for the beef industry and headed to the University of Missouri for a Ph.D. My research focused on how artificial selection and local adaptation have changed the genomes of U.S. beef cattle. This work demonstrated how we could use beef cattle as a “model organism” to ask some interesting basic scientific questions while delivering tangible results and recommendations to the industry.
Where do you see your field in 10 years?
Agricultural genomics is a relatively new field but has rapidly changed how we select and breed almost all plant and animal species. Even now, we realize that a lack of genotypes is no longer the limiting factor in doing genetic prediction. In the future, I think that we’ll see more work on developing important novel phenotypes. These phenotypes might be readings from multiple sensor types, microbial profiles, gene expression, or metabolites. Integrating these and using them to develop genetic selection tools will be a big piece of what we’ll be working on in 10 years. The other significant shift that I think we’ll see in beef cattle will be from focusing exclusively on genetic prediction (i.e., estimating parent’s genetic merit) to also doing individual phenotypic prediction. This might enable us to predict how likely a particular animal is to get sick or gain weight efficiently. This will allow for precision management strategies tailored to maximize an animal’s genetic potential by delivering him the optimal feed ration, health intervention, and welfare needs.
Who are your lab members?
Cassidy Catrett: Master’s Student
