Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Meeting was called to order at 10:00 AM CDT.

Participants introduced themselves and we received an update from NIFA.  Progress is happening towards release of RFAs from NIFA but timeline is still vague.

We heard presentations from the stations that were able to join.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:00 PM CDT.

1. To understand biological sources of variation in the efficiency of nutrient utilization in beef cattle.

Research at Texas A&M is focused on understanding how variations in feeding behavior patterns, digestibility, and methane emissions differ between animals with divergent residual feed intake in beef cattle. Several publications, conference abstracts, and presentations have been developed from this work. At South Dakota State University, research is centered on identifying the sources and quantifying the magnitude of biological drivers responsible for variation in feed efficiency and nutrient utilization.

Researchers at West Virginia University are evaluating how residual feed intake status in beef steers affects their response to dietary supplementation. This study aims to understand if, and how, animal-related factors influence responses to feed additive supplementation, which is essential for enhancing the sustainable use of microbial feed additives as an alternative to antibiotics. The ultimate goal is to reduce antibiotic resistance in livestock production.

Current research at the University of Tennessee is examining the microbiological mechanisms that explain differences in cow/calf feed efficiency using a microbiome approach within the rumen of beef cattle. This project aims to uncover the molecular and microbiological mechanisms involved in efficient feed utilization and to identify feed efficiency-related microbial biomarkers. These insights are intended to improve beef production efficiency and support the growing need for food due to the increasing global human population.

At Montana State University, research is being conducted to evaluate muscle and adipose tissue gene expression and metabolites during the late feedlot fattening period in steers. The goal is to better understand how fattening is regulated to achieve specific carcass quality grades, allowing for precision management of feedlot cattle. Additionally, this project evaluates metabolic rate, body temperature, heart rate, circulating metabolites, and liver gene expression throughout two yearly production cycles, with samples taken each season and three during winter in both supplemented and grazing cows

2. To discover and develop biomarkers and genetic markers for the genetic improvement of nutrient utilization efficiency.

At the University of Tennessee, Dr. Phillip Myer and his team have successfully identified microbial biomarkers within the rumen that are associated with feed efficiency in beef cattle and calves. These biomarkers are essential for understanding the molecular and microbiological mechanisms that influence feed utilization. The team plans to continue developing and validating non-invasive buccal sampling techniques as a reliable proxy for rumen microbiome analysis.

In Montana, Dr. Thomson is conducting research to identify metabolite and transcript expression biomarkers linked to USDA quality grade, temperament, feed efficiency, and responsiveness to changing environmental conditions. Meanwhile, Dr. Ibukun Ogunade and Dr. Matt Wilson at West Virginia University are identifying metabolomic and rumen microbiome biomarkers for feed efficiency measures—specifically residual feed intake and residual body weight gain—that could serve as targets for genetic markers associated with feed efficiency.

3. To evaluate life-cycle efficiency of nutrient utilization in beef cattle to improve economic/environmental sustainability

Projects at South Dakota State University focus on measuring postweaning feed efficiency in young female cattle and examining how feed efficiency measured in growing animals impacts later-life feed efficiency, productivity, and longevity. At Texas A&M, researchers are evaluating Holstein heifers with divergent genomic residual feed intake, assessing impacts on feed efficiency, methane emissions, ruminal fermentation, and microbiome classification.

Montana State University is conducting research to evaluate metabolic rate, body temperature, heart rate, circulating metabolites, and liver gene expression throughout two yearly production cycles. Samples are collected in each season, with additional samples during winter, from both supplemented and grazing cows.

In West Virginia, researchers are collecting data from multiple groups of potential replacement heifers in both confinement and grazing environments to investigate efficiency rankings across these settings. Over the past year, data from more than 1,200 animals in confinement have been used to calibrate algorithms that predict dry matter intake with high accuracy. To date, these algorithms can predict daily dry matter intake within 1 kg/day and average intake over the testing period within 0.3 kg/day. Work will continue in the next fiscal year to refine these algorithms by including more animals, additional breeds, and metrics like incremental daily gain. Data collection has spanned three grazing seasons, with analysis of forage and fecal samples now underway to support predictive modeling efforts. Additionally, they have found that residual water intake (RWI) in test groups varies significantly, with a range of -6 to +10 liters from predicted intake, equating to substantial annual water consumption differences between the most and least efficient animals.

4. To develop and propagate EPDs, selection indices, and decision-support tools to facilitate selection for improved nutrient utilization efficiency.

In West Virginia, studies are being conducted to understand the microbiome and response to LPS challenge in Angus bulls with low or high Residual Feed Intake Expected Progeny Differences (RFI EPD).

5. To develop producer educational programs to enhance technology adoption by the beef industry.

In Texas, research findings were presented through invited talks, including ‘Impact of Selection for Residual Feed Intake on Feed Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Replacement Holstein Heifers’ at the McGregor Field Day, and ‘The Merits of Genetic Selection for RFI to Improve Cow Efficiency’ at the Brazos County, Texas beef producers' meeting. In West Virginia, results were shared through field day presentations at multiple Land Grant Universities—Virginia Tech, Colorado State University, Purdue University, and West Virginia University—to help producers understand the importance of feed and water use efficiency and discuss current tools in development.

In Tennessee, results from ongoing projects were presented at the annual UTIA Beef and Forage Research and Recommendation meeting and at various UTIA field days, ensuring findings are shared directly with beef producers, industry stakeholders, and Extension personnel.

Short-term Outcomes: Development of improved algorithms for determining feed intake from body weight, water intake and climatic variables.  Using measured water intake and determined feed intake to assess feed and water use efficiency. Generating data to compare efficiency measures for animals both in confinement and grazing. Identification of Key Microbial Biomarkers for feed efficiency in beef cattle. Validation of the use of buccal sampling as a non-invasive proxy for analyzing the rumen microbiome, providing a less intrusive method for collecting microbiological data. Concepts and findings from the project conducted at Tennessee have been incorporated into the graduate-level, enhancing the educational experience for students.

Outputs: Outputs include increased knowledge and understanding of nutrient utilization and efficiency in livestock species as evidenced by 13 publications and 22 research abstracts that were published and presented at meetings presentations along with producer outreach in West Virginia, Texas, South Dakota, and Tennessee during the current reporting period.

1. Jardon, G. H.; Detmann, E.; Smith, Z.K.F.; Rusche, W.C.; Menezes, A.C.B. Substituting dried distillers’ grains with solubles with soybean meal in finishing diets: effects on small intestinal amino acid flow, digestibility, and nitrogen balance.2025. Journal of Animal Science. doi:10.1093/jas/skaf232
2. Jardon, G. H.; Kovarna, M. R.; Heldt, J. S.; Wall, E. H.; Menezes, A. C. B. Effects of Botanical Blend of Turmeric, Capsicum, and Pepper Extracts on Colostrum and Milk Yield and Quality, Passive Transfer of Immunity, and Performance of Beef Cow–Calf Pairs. 2025. Veterinary Sciences. doi:10.3390/vetsci12030250.
3. Wehrbein, M.A.; Jardon. G.H.; Menendez, H.M.; Rusche, W.C.; Smith, Z.K.; Menezes, A.C.B., Winter-feeding high concentrate corn-based diet pre- and post-calving improves milk production in beef cows, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 103, Issue Supplement_1, May 2025, Pages 215–216, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf102.235
4. Wehrbein, M.A.; Velasquez-Moreno, E.; Menendez, H.M.; Rusche, W.C.; Smith, Z.K.; Menezes, A.C.B. Winter-feeding high concentrate diets minimizes the carbon footprint and improves water usage efficiency in cow/calf systems, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 103, Issue Supplement_1, May 2025, Pages 212–213, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf102.232
5. O’Reilly, K., G.E. Carstens, J.R. Johnson, N. Deeb, and P. Ross. 2024. Association of genomically enhanced residual feed intake with performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, gas flux, and nutrient digestibility in growing Holstein heifers. J. Anim. Sci. skae289. doi:10.1093/jas/skae289.
6. O’Reilly, K., B. Foris, C.L. Daigle, and G.E. Carstens. 2024. Development of an algorithm to detect feed bunk replacement events in growing cattle from feeding event data acquired by an electronic feed intake measurement system. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 106350. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106350.
7. O’Reilly, K. and G.E. Carstens. 2024. Awardee Talk: Characterizing biological processes influencing the efficiency of nutrient utilization in growing cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 102 (Suppl. 3):343-344. doi:10.1093/jas/skae234.391.
8. Adcock, Z., K. O’Reilly, G.E. Carstens, L.O. Tedeschi, W.E. Pinchak, and R.S. Walker. 2024. Effects of divergent residual feed intake on performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior and gaseous exchange in replacement beef heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 102 (Suppl. 3).
9. Carstens, G.E., K. O’Reilly. Z. Adcock. 2024. Using Smart Technology with Replacement Heifers Grazing Cool Season Annuals. McGregor Research field day, McGregor, Texas.
10. Wilson, M. E. 2024. Managed Grazing, State of the Science Summit:Feed Strategies to Reduce Enteric Emissions, Co-Hosted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and University of California Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Davis, CA. https://clear.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7876/files/inline-files/UC-Davis-State-of-the-science-report.pdf.
11. Helmondollar, J., N. E. Blake, H. VanGilder, I. Holásková , J. W. Yates and M. E. Wilson. Total fuel efficiency of Akaushi F1 crossbred steers.  Applied Animal Science. (In preparation).
12. ArunKumar, K. E., N. E. Blake, M. Walker, T. J. Yost, D. Mata-Padrino, I. Holásková, J. W. Yates, J. Hatton and M. E. Wilson. 2025. Predicting dry matter intake in cattle at scale using gradient boosting regression techniques and Gaussian process boosting regression with SHAP explainable AI, MLflow and its containerization.  Journal of Animal Science 103:skaf041, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf041.
13. VanGilder, H., N. E. Blake, T. J. Yost, E. K. ArunKumar, M. Walker, I. Holásková , J. W. Yates and M. E. Wilson. Validation of a novel method to measure individual water intake in beef cattle.  Animals. (In Revision).
14. Yost, T. J., N. E, Blake, I. Holásková, D. Mata-Padrino, J. Yost, J. W. Yates and M. E. Wilson. Associations between feeding behaviors, Residual Feed Intake, and Residual average daily gain in performance tested yearling bulls and heifers fed a high forage diet. Journal of Animal Science (Submitted).
15. Wilson, M. E., N. E. Blake, M. Walker, I. Holásková and E. A. Kalaga.   A New Approach to Measuring Dry Matter Intake, from Drylot to Pasture: Activities of the Alliance for Regenerative Livestock. Journal of Animal Science.
16. Walker, M., N. Blake, K. E. ArunKumar, D. Mata-Padrino, I. Holásková and M. E. Wilson. 2024. Use of time series data in the prediction of beef cattle dry matter intake using machine learning. Journal of Animal Science.
17. ArunKumar, K.E., N. E. Blake, M. Walker, D. Mata-Padrino, I. Holásková and M. E. Wilson. 2024. Boosting techniques for prediction of dry matter intake of cattle in confinement settings and SHAP analysis on the models’ output.  Journal of Animal Science.
18. Blake, N. E., M. Walker, K. E. ArunKumar, D. Mata-Padrino, I. Holásková and M. E. Wilson. 2024. Re-characterizing Beef Cattle Water Intake.  Journal of Animal Science.
19. Blake, N. E., M. Walker, K. E. ArunKumar, D. Mata-Padrino, I. Holásková and M. E. Wilson. 2024. Prediction of Individual Grazing Beef Cattle Dry Matter Intake.  Journal of Animal Science.
20. Thekkoot, D. M, N. E. Blake, D. J. Mata Padrino, K. Garossino and M. E. Wilson.   The Relationship Between Water Efficiency Feed Efficiency and Growth Traits in Beef Cattle: A Genetic Analysis. British Society of Animal Science.
21. Cordero-Llarena, J.F.*, Bates, G.E., Schrick, F.N., McLean, K.J., and Myer P.R. 2025. Evaluation of red clover isoflavones on beef cattle grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue. ASM Microbe Annual Meeting. Los Angeles, CA.
22. Henniger, M.T., Shepherd, E.A., Clemmons, B.A., Luu, H., and Myer, P.R. 2025. Rumen Bacterial Community Establishment In Angus Calves. UT Beef and Forage Center Annual Meeting, Knoxville, TN.
23. Henniger, M.T., Martin, M.G., Clemmons, B.A., Ault-Seay, T.B., Cordero, J.C., Voy, B.H., McLean, K.J., Mulon, P.Y., Anderson, D.E., and Myer, P.R. 2025. Impacts Of Pregnancy On The Rumen Environment Of Angus Heifers Differing In Feed Efficiency. UT Beef and Forage Center Annual Meeting, Knoxville, TN.